Ka Hahai,'imi
by moonjat54
Summary: The Hunt. An undercover op results in a crashed helicopter, Danny shot and Steve suffering from crash injuries. Can Kono, Chin Ho and the State Police find the duo before the bad guys do? The hunt is on.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I own nothing but I do love this show so very much that I can't stay away.**

**Hello there. My muse has been a very naughty girl lately. She dangled an idea in front of me and then went AWOL once I began to put pen to paper. With Season 3 getting closer, she popped in to tease me and I think we are getting somewhere now. **

**This is what I have going so far so please enjoy. I beg you to remember that I have never been to Hawaii and any descriptions of areas are only in my imagination and I am no expert in weapons or police procedure. Thank you.**

**Ka Hahai,'imi [The Hunt]**

Chapter 1

It was mid afternoon that Steve McGarrett guided a helicopter towards a designated clearing southwest of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawaii. He and Danny Williams were going undercover to meet a group of weapons dealers who were supplying weapons they had stolen from the military to anyone with money. 5-0 had established a back story for Steve and Danny that identified them as members of a paramilitary isolationist group in need of additional weapons. The meeting today was intended to let Steve and Danny examine the merchandise and set a price on the purchase. A delivery date would then be agreed on while Kono, Chin and a contingent of State Police monitored the deal via a satellite link that had been tied in to the helicopter's radio.

As the helicopter hovered over the clearing, the two partners could see three trucks parked at the edge of the clearing partially hidden by the surrounding tree cover. A rough road ran along the east border of the open space and Steve eased the copter closer to the ground, as far from the trucks as possible. The machine settled to the grassy area smoothly with its nose pointed at an angle towards the waiting men, Steve's side closer to their target than Danny's. McGarrett looked over at Danny as he unbuckled his safety belts, removed his headset and adjusted the ear bud in his ear.

"Ready Danny?"

"I'd feel more ready if I had body armor on," Danny groused as he released his own restraints. He tugged at his shirt, adjusting it over the smaller Kevlar vest he was wearing. "I'm not sure this thing can stop anything larger than BBs from some popgun." He looked at the armed men waiting by the trucks. "I would say they're armed with something more powerful than that."

"Danny, we're undercover, we can't go in there with body armor, they'll be suspicious," Steve said patiently. "This is a simple business negotiation, don't act like a cop and they won't shoot."

"Simple business negotiation my ass," Danny grumbled as he picked up his assault rifle from beside him. "If I die, I'm coming back to haunt you."

"I'll just put a pineapple in every room and that will repel your spirit," Steve smirked. "Relax Danno, it will be fine." Steve picked up his own weapon and slipped the strap over his shoulder. "Chin, Kono, we're going in," he radioed to his backup who were a couple of miles down the road.

"You are not funny McGarrett. I so hate going undercover," Danny snapped as he exited the copter.

They crossed the space between their bird and the weapons dealers with Danny slightly behind Steve, creating the image of a good lieutenant watching his boss' back. McGarrett did a quick assessment of the setup, halting a few feet from the two men standing just behind four stacked crates with US Military markings. There were two other armed men a couple of feet behind the two and three more back by the vehicles. McGarrett knew it was possible there were more men in the trucks but wasn't sure.

"I see you had no trouble finding us Mr. Smith," the large black man who Steve had learned was Lamar Hawkins, greeted them. "I prefer to know the real names of the people I do business with. Smith and Jones are rather clichéd, aren't they?"

"It's better for all of us if we don't get too cozy," Steve said gruffly. "I don't need the FBI to get wind of my shopping habits. We'll be paying cash if I like what you are offering so names aren't important."

"As you wish," the heavily muscled Hawkins agreed. He nodded to his partner Ben Manunui as 5-0 had established and the man reached down to open one of the crates. "These should satisfy the needs you stated in your message. Are you preparing for a major offensive Mr. Smith?"

"They are strictly for defensive purposes Mr. Hawkins," Steve responded curtly. "My compound may come under attack if the feds follow their usual routine. We have a constitutional right to defend ourselves. No suits in Washington will dictate how we live our lives."

"I totally agree with you on that," Hawkins nodded. He didn't doubt the ex-military bearing in the man before him. Smith looked like he was more than capable of handling the weapon he held and the shorter Mr. Jones also looked ready to take action. Both men sported a few days growth of beard and Jones had a camouflage baseball cap pulled low on his forehead. "I'm sure we can reach an equitable agreement," he added.

"Mr. Jones will inspect the merchandise," Steve informed them and when Hawkins nodded, Danny shifted his gun to his shoulder and went to the crate. He crouched next to it and removed one weapon from the box, looking it over carefully. Danny had studied the inventory lists of all the stolen weaponry and he confirmed this was on the list. Pushing the bill of his cap back from his face, he looked at Steve and nodded.

"This looks exactly like what we need sir," he announced. "I would say this entire lot is just what we're looking for. It's perfect."

When he spoke, an older man who had been leaning against the front bumper of one of the trucks straightened up and started towards them. He stared at Danny, squinting as he tried to get a better look at the detective. Steve noticed the interest the newcomer was taking in his partner and stiffened, gripping his weapon tighter.

Danny looked up and his eyes widened as he recognized the man as a gun shop owner that he and Meka had busted three months after he had joined the HPD. Quickly he pulled the brim of his cap back down and got to his feet. He took a tight hold of his assault rifle.

Steve shot Danny a concerned look and then stared at Hawkins waiting to see how this interruption would play out. Danny backed up a few steps so he stood next to Steve.

"Hawkins, these guys are cops, don't trust them," Keao Pahia announced as he came to a stop next to Lamar.

"What makes you think that?" Hawkins asked, annoyed at the interruption. Pahia was a recent addition to his group having gotten early release from Halawa thanks to a very good lawyer.

"That guy, the shorter one, he got me busted for violating the waiting period law on gun sales. Can you imaging, they said I was selling to felons too?" Keao said with a harsh laugh.

"You sure about that?" Hawkins asked sharply.

"He's out of his freakin' mind," Steve snorted, going for the bluff. "No way we're cops."

"I recognize the guy's voice. That Jersey accent is a dead give away," Pahia argued. "Believe me man."

The two men behind Hawkins and Manunui brought their guns up to cover Steve and Danny. The two 5-0 members responded in kind as they backed up a few steps.

"Your man is wrong and I'm not dealing with someone who doubts me," Steve declared as he and Danny continued their slow and careful retreat. "I'll find my guns someplace else."

"I am not wrong, I swear it," Pahia stated heatedly. "I don't forget the men who put me out of business."

"Danny…..run," Steve ordered sharply when he saw the change in Lamar's eyes. Before the arms dealer could signal his men to shoot, McGarrett fired on the two men as they made a move to shoot them. Another burst of fire had Hawkins, Manunui and Pahia diving for cover behind the crates. Steve took off after Danny, his long strides putting distance between him and danger. Twisting to look back, Steve fired off several more rounds as did Danny in response to the gunfire from the two weapons dealers. Keao had crawled back to the relative safety of the trucks as the remaining gang members pounded past him to support their boss.

Steve's longer legs helped him reach the helicopter first and he vaulted into the seat and started flipping switches to bring the copter to life. Another burst of gunfire made Steve look up from the controls to see Danny rounding the front of the helicopter. He saw Danny falter slightly and then the man was climbing into the seat next to him.

"You okay? Steve demanded over the roar of the copter blades.

"Get this thing in the air," Danny yelled back. "We'll discuss "okay" later."

Nodding, Steve pulled on the controls and guided the helicopter into the air. Danny continued to return fire down at the men that were gathering below them and shooting up at them. He emptied his clip and then pulled back inside as bullets continued to ping off of the metal and glass of the machine. The big bird shuddered several times before reaching a safe height and the hail of bullets stopped.

"Chin, Kono, just how much of that did you get?" Steve asked in an attempt to contact the rest of the team. "Our cover was blown, we've taken fire."

He heard nothing but static in reply. He flipped several switches and spun the dial trying to improve reception but nothing helped.

"We've lost the radio," he told Danny. "I don't know how much they heard before we were cut off." He glanced at his partner who didn't answer him immediately.

The sight of his friend brought a rush of concern to the Commander as he saw Danny hunched over, his left hand pressed to his side. His forehead was damp with sweat and he looked pale. Red stain was seeping from between his fingers.

"You've been hit," Steve shouted.

"Brilliant observation," Danny gasped. "It's just a scratch. Just get us somewhere safe. Preferably where there's a hospital."

The words were barely out of his mouth when the helicopter lurched and Danny's eyes widened in alarm. He could see McGarrett fighting the controls, a grim look on his face.

"What's happening?"

"We're losing fuel," Steve answered. His arms ached from the effort to fight the stiffening controls. "They hit the fuel tank. There is no way we'll make it to Hilo."

"No, no, no….we can't crash out here in the middle of nowhere," Danny groaned.

"I'll get us down safely. Get your safety belt strapped on and brace yourself," Steve ordered.

End chapter.

**Well that is what my muse has given me. What do you think? Anyone interested in reading more? Thanks for your attention.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Sure wish I could make that claim but nope….it's not mine and never will be.**

**Thank you so much for the warm welcome you gave this story. I appreciate all the comments. I'm looking for a regular posting schedule for this story. Right now I have a few rough draft chapters ready so after polishing, they will get posted as I manage to finish them. **

Chapter 2

Danny wasted no time following Steve's instructions and fastened his safety harness. McGarrett desperately fought the controls that were becoming more and more sluggish as the minutes passed, leading him to believe that more than the fuel tank had been hit. Fighting the controls took all his strength and Steve didn't dare let go to fasten his own safety belts.

"Steve, just losing fuel shouldn't crash us, right?" Danny questioned. "You can get us down in one piece, right?"

"I'm trying," Steve said through gritted teeth. He scanned the terrain below them, searching for an open space to set the helicopter down. The area that they were travelling over was rugged and unsettled and there weren't many open spaces. Keeping one eye on the fuel gage and the other on the land below, Steve gripped the controls, praying that something would present itself soon. He risked a quick look at his partner and found the man checking his cell phone for a signal.

"Danny?"

"One damn bar but I'm going to try anyway," Danny answered and pressed his contact for Chin Ho Kelly. Over the sputtering of the copter's blades he heard it ring.

"Danny?" Chin's voice weakly came over the phone.

"Chin, the copter is hit. We're going down," Danny yelled.

"Can't…..Danny…where?" was all that could be heard before the phone went dead.

"Lost him," Danny told Steve in disappointment. He looked out at the ground below. Steve had brought the helicopter down low, close to the tree tops, hoping to lessen the impact if they couldn't find an open area. Danny gestured suddenly to the left. "There, do you see it Steve?"

"Yes I do. Hang on," Steve acknowledged as he directed the wounded bird towards the break in the trees.

They almost made it cleanly. The last of the fuel was spent just as something else let loose and the copter lurched to one side and spun down to the ground. Once it was tree top level, the tail clipped a large tree's branches and in spite of Steve's best efforts the helicopter went nose first to the ground.

Impact with the ground wrenched the controls from Steve's hands and he was flung against the glass windshield before being tossed free of the fallen bird.

Danny's restraints held him in his seat but the pull on his injured side caused a wave of pain to wash over him. His neck snapped forward and then slammed back against the seat's headrest. As Danny reoriented himself he rubbed his neck and looked around. A rush of panic ran through him as he realized that Steve was no longer in his seat.

"Steve…where are you?" he called out as he struggled to release his belts. Once free he moved over to McGarrett's s empty seat and searched the area beyond the copter.

There was some rustling in the taller grasses about a yard from the fallen machine. Danny carefully lowered himself out of the copter and moved towards the brush. Steve was holding his head and struggling to sit up.

"You okay babe?" he enquired.

"Yea, I am okay," Steve groaned as he finally managed a seated position. He took a deep breath and winced as that action produced a stab of pain. Damn, there had to be some cracked or even broken ribs from the fall. He blinked to try and clear his vision.

"You sure don't look okay," Danny observed.

"I'll be fine, just a bit shook up," Steve countered and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. When he opened them again his vision was much clearer. If he had sustained a concussion it seemed to be only a mild one. One look at Danny had him wondering how his partner was feeling. Blood was staining Williams' right side and looked dark and wet.

"How are you? I need to see that bullet wound. We need to stop the bleeding," Steve said getting to his feet carefully. Keeping his breathing shallow and moving gingerly, made things easier for McGarrett.

Back at the copter, Steve had Danny sit on the open space behind the front seats while he got out the first aid kit. After opening it to see what they had in it, he reached to unbutton Danny's shirt.

"I can undress myself Steven," Danny said swatting at McGarrett's hands. He finished opening his shirt and then let Steve help him remove it. With that off Steve then looked at the thin Kevlar vest that was still strapped to Danny.

"It caught you right in the gap between front and back," Steve observed and he released the Velcro straps that held it on.

"So glad I wore it," Danny grumbled as he let Steve take that off him as well. He winced in pain as Steve examined the entrance wound of the bullet and swabbed the area with alcohol wipes. Pulling a couple of square gauze pads out; Steve pressed it against the bleeding gap and motioned for Danny to hold it in place.

"I don't see an exit site," Steve commented as he checked Danny's back. "I don't think it hit any vital though." He took out a roll of gauze and began to unroll it.

"Everything about me is vital," Danny complained. "So patch me up all ready, I've lost enough blood."

Steve shook his head as he looked at the very short roll of gauze. The first aid kit left a lot to be desired.

"I don't think this is going to be enough to hold those pads in place. I hope there is enough tape," he said and then started to remove his own button shirt. "I can tear this into strips."

"Save your shirt," Danny instructed. "There is an ACE bandage there." He pointed to the tan stretchy material that was under a box of band aids. "Trust me it will work."

Steve's brow wrinkled in confusion at Danny's knowledge but did as he was told.

"Okay," he agreed as he began to wind it around Williams' torso.

"You don't remember me using one on you when you were shot on Wa'ahila Ridge, do you?" Danny smirked. Steve shook his head slowly as he pinned the bandage in place. "I was told I was very inventive," Danny bragged as he slipped his arms into his shirt sleeves. He looked around at the wreckage that was scattered around them. "You know….you fly as reckless as you drive."

"This wasn't my fault Danny," Steve protested in an injured voice. He rubbed his forehead tiredly; trying to ease the headache that was getting worse the longer he stood upright. His stomach rolled slowly and he fought off the desire to throw up. He couldn't let his injuries stop him from getting the two of them out of this mess. Danny needed a doctor, the bandaging of his wound was only a minor stopgap and that bullet had to come out.

"Hey Steve," Danny said snapping his fingers in front of McGarrett's face. "Are you still with me?"

"Sorry Danny, "Steve said refocusing on his partner. "We have to get out of here. You need medical care. Before we went down I saw a rough road off to the east. You wait here and I will check things out."

"I can walk Steven. We will both go," Danny argued.

"When we were in the air I saw Hawkins' trucks starting after us. I don't know if they are headed this way but I get the feeling that the man doesn't like loose ends. I'll go see if they are actually pursuing us and I can move faster alone. We don't need to have you start bleeding faster," Steve ordered.

"You're hurt too Steve," Danny pointed out. "Don't think you are fooling me, you can't even take a deep breath."

The minute the words left his mouth, Danny knew he wasn't winning this fight. A controlled, tight mask slipped over Steve's features and Williams knew he was now seeing McGarrett in Navy SEAL mode. Brooking no argument, Steve handed Danny his weapon and then grabbed his own.

"Stay," he ordered. "Do not make me have to search for you when I get back. Do you understand?" Steve said tersely.

"Yes sir," Danny responded. "And you be careful. I do not want to have to come haul your sorry ass out of the jungle." He grinned weakly and Steve returned the grin and squeezed Danny' shoulder lightly.

"I will be back as soon as I know if it is safe to use the road," he promised and headed off to the east in search for the rough track of road he had seen from the air.

Keeping his pace slow and steady, Steve moved through the trees. He was forced to keep his breathing shallow to avoid the stabbing pain that too much effort produced. Fortunately he was not coughing up any blood but decided not to loosen his own Kevlar vest, hoping it would provide some extra protection if his ribs were broken.

His progress slowed as he could see the trees and brush thinning ahead. He stopped and leaned against a tree trunk when he heard the rumble of truck engines in the distance. Keeping low, he proceeded towards the south, staying out of sight until he came upon the convoy of trucks idling on the road. Lamar Hawkins and Ben Manunui were getting out of the lead vehicle and conferring as they gazed around at the overgrowth.

"The copter came down somewhere around here," Hawkins could be heard saying. "I want it found and I want those two cops dead. Organize the men, get the radios out and start searching. Let Pahia stay and watch the road in case they come this way."

"Why would Honolulu police be working on this island?" Manunui asked.

"I don't know and I don't care. Just find them," Hawkins ordered.

Steve eased back into the brush and turned to head back to Danny. They had to get moving because they were greatly outnumbered. Normally McGarrett would not be as concerned about numbers but they were at a disadvantage and needed to move. Pushing down a wave of nausea he plunged ahead into the jungle trying to move as fast as he could. Gripping his weapon tightly, he tried to angle his path in a more direct route back to the crash site and in his hurry he caught his foot on a root and fell to the ground. The pain in his chest tore through him and he bit back a cry of surprise.

Slowly pushing himself to his feet, Steve took a moment to get control of his breathing. He wiped his forearm across his forehead and paused with both hands on his thighs as he bent over. He managed to fight off the urge to vomit and then heard the engine noise die in the background. Shouts of the men getting ready to come searching sent a spurt of adrenalin through him and he again set off through the brush. Time was running out and he had to get to Danny and then get them away from the crash site. They could not afford to wait for a rescue to find them, they were being hunted.

End chapter.

**Thanks for reading. My muse likes throwing difficult ideas at me and I am doing the best I can.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. We are so close to Season 3, I am excited to see what the owners do have for us.**

**Thanks so much for all the support. I love your comments.**

Chapter 3

As he approached the crash site, Steve saw no immediate sign of Danny. His stomach rolled in fear for his partner even though he knew Hawkins' people could not have beaten him to the helicopter.

"Danny!" he called out anxiously.

A scraping sound from inside the copter was shortly followed by the appearance of the barrel of an assault rifle. Moments later Danny's sweat soaked face rose above the seat back.

"I'm right here Steven, just being cautious."

"We have to move out quick. Hawkins and his men are on the road and moving in to search for us. They know we crashed," Steve said urgently.

"And just where do you suggest we go?" Danny inquired as he carefully lowered himself out of the copter.

"We need to head back to the clearing we met Hawkins at. Chin and Kono know that location; it's where they'll begin their search. Hawkins left a guard on the road so we'll have to go through the jungle," Steve told him as he grabbed a duffel bag from the back of the helicopter and checked the contents. There were some water bottles, protein bars and a flashlight. Also inside were some ropes and a large sheathed knife. He added the first aid kit and the extra ammunition box from between the seats. A frown crossed Steve's face as he dug around, looking for an item that wasn't present.

"I don't like that face, isn't there a satellite phone in there?" Danny asked, voicing the very thought that was running through Steve's mind. "Aren't you SEALs supposed to always be prepared?"

"That's the Boy Scouts Danny and yes…I was one of those too. There should be a sat phone in here. I didn't pack this duffel personally but I left instructions on what I wanted included," Steve said in frustration, mentally cursing the fact that he hadn't double checked. There had been so many final details before they left that he had trusted the State Police to equip the helicopter per his instructions. "Maybe someone thought we didn't need it with the specially rigged radio."

Danny could see the stress on McGarrett's face and knew his partner was blaming himself for this screw up.

"I'm sorry Steve, this isn't your fault. I'm the reason this op was blown. The gun shop owner recognized me, not you," he said with remorse.

"No one is throwing blame around. Let's just get a move on, we have quite a hike ahead of us," Steve answered with a grim smile and carefully shouldered the duffel bag. "You up to this partner?"

"Like I have a choice. If you can do it, so can I," Danny assured him and followed Steve into the overgrowth.

*H 5-0*

Chin, Kono and a group of six officers of the State Police had been listening in on the weapons deal right up to the point where shots were fired. Steve's command for Danny to run was the last clear words they heard before the sound of the helicopter engine starting up and then there were gunshots followed by static.

The group of law enforcement exchanged grim looks.

"We've got to get to that clearing," Chin said and Captain Marc Brown nodded in agreement.

"Let's move," the captain ordered and his five men hurried to their SUVs.

Chin closed the back hatch after shutting down the radio and then hopped behind the wheel, putting the vehicle in motion.

"Their cover was blown. How did we not know that there was someone working with Hawkins that knew Danny?" Kono asked in frustration from the passenger seat.

"We had no info on most of Hawkins' associates," Chin replied as he concentrated on the rough road. Moments later his phone rang and he pulled it out and handed it to Kono who put it in speaker.

"Danny," she told him.

"Danny, what's happening?" Chin asked.

"Chin, the helicopter has been hit. We're going down," Danny's voice could barely be heard.

"We can't hear you Danny. Where are you?" Chin questioned but was greeted with static. His worried eyes met Kono's.

"They're going to crash," she said in a panic.

"Steve will land the copter but we're going to have to search the area," Chin said hoping he was right about Steve's skill as a pilot. "Let Captain Brown know what's happened."

He focused on the road, pushing the vehicle as fast as he safely could while Kono radioed Brown and informed him of what they had heard from Danny. Brown responded that he would check with Hilo to see if they could locate the copter on radar. Kono clung to the door handle as the SUV bounced down the rough road.

Reaching the clearing, Chin slammed the vehicle to a stop close to the spot where Hawkins' vehicles had waited for Steve and Danny's arrival. The ground still showed where the crates had sat, flattening the grass. Blood could be seen on the ground but there were no bodies. Capt. Brown joined Chin as his men spread out searching for anything left behind by the weapons dealers. Kono moved across the clearing to where the helicopter had been sitting, checking the ground along the way.

"McGarrett would try to make it Hilo, right?" Brown asked Chin.

"He would but depending on what was hit, there is no way they will make it to Hilo," Chin answered. "Danny was pretty sure that they were going down, but he didn't say why."

"Hilo's radar won't be able to track them if they aren't in the air," Brown said glumly.

"Chin, come here!" Kono yelled from across the clearing. Both men hurried over to her.

"What have you found Cuz?" Chin asked stopping beside Kono.

"A few clues. First, there are a lot of shell casings here and they don't all match Steve and Danny's weapons. Second, there is some blood staining the grass. I'm figuring this is the passenger side of the copter from the indentations on the ground. Steve would have landed facing the dealer's vehicles." Kono pointed to the small amount of blood on the grass alongside the flattened marks.

"So it's possible Danny was hit," Chin said. "Or it could be one of the others."

"Well there's more blood over there so I'm thinking Danny hit a couple of the shooters," Kono remarked. "We know Danny was able to call us so maybe he's not hurt too badly." She motioned for them to follow her. "I know why the copter was going down," she said stopping at the edge of the clearing. She looked at the two men. "Can you smell it?"

Both men inhaled and then nodded.

"That's fuel, the fuel tank must have been hit," Capt. Brown confirmed.

"Well then we know that they wouldn't be able to make Hilo," Chin added.

"Can McGarrett bring a wounded bird down safely or will we be searching for bodies?" Brown asked curiously. He had just met Steve the week before and didn't know the complete background on the Commander.

"If there is an open space, Steve can bring it down," Chin said with confidence.

"There is a lot of rough terrain out there. It's going to be difficult to pinpoint where they landed. That's a lot of ground for us to cover and we know that Hawkins did not leave this clearing the way they came in or they would have passed us," the State Police captain observed.

"I may know someone who can speed us on our search and narrow the area," Chin said bringing out a satellite phone from a pack he had brought out of the SUV. He punched in a number that he had committed to memory just the other day. At the time he felt he might have been prying into Steve's privacy but now he was glad he had done so.

"Lt. Rollins, who is this?" a voice responded.

"Catherine, this is Chin Ho Kelly. I could use your assistance on something important," Chin said seriously.

"Don't tell me that Steve is loaning out my services to all of 5-0?" Catherine asked lightly.

"This has to do with Steve….and Danny," Chin said awkwardly. "Their helicopter went down on the Big Island. I could use your satellite capabilities to locate them."

"The Big Island?" Catherine asked a hint of strain in her voice. "Give me the coordinates for where you are please."

Chin provided her with the information and could hear the clicking of computer keys in the background.

"What is Steve doing on the Big Island if I may ask?" she enquired as she worked.

"They were meeting with some weapons dealers. Someone in the dealer's group recognized Danny and blew the sting. We know they made it to the helicopter but were fired upon. Our guess was that Steve would have tried to head to Hilo," Chin informed her, not inclined to lie to the woman.

"Okay, I have a visual feed on the area. Based on what you have given me I can see a clearing north east of your location. I can see a portion of the helicopter through the trees. The good news is that there is no sign of smoke or fire," Catherine reported, relief in her voice.

"Great, thanks Catherine," Chin replied. "There is a rough road leading that way, we can follow that."

There was a moment of silence and then Catherine's voice came back urgently.

"Chin…..there are several vehicles on a rough road a few miles to the east of the crash site. I'm magnifying the scene right now." Silence reigned for several seconds and then Catherine spoke again. "Chin, I can see armed men by the vehicles. They are heading into the jungle. They must be searching for Danny and Steve," she said in fear. "I can't see any sign of Steve or Danny at the crash site. Please hurry…..find them fast," Catherine pleaded, feeling helpless watching the search party head into the trees. Sitting in back at Pearl left her feeling helpless and wasn't sure that Chin and the others could reach them in time.

End chapter.

**I couldn't resist getting Catherine involved in some way. So now we have two search parties, which one will get there first? Thank you for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I have no hope of even renting the rights but I trust the real owners will take good care of it.**

**Thanks to everyone who has read, especially the ones who reviewed. To those who are guests or do not have the reply function working, I appreciate your comments very much as well and wish I could respond.**

Chapter 4

"Catherine don't worry, we will get to Steve," Chin said far more calmly than he actually felt. "Kono and I have the State Police with us, we will find them."

"Of course you will. Thank you so much Lieutenant and please keep me informed," she said formally, telling Chin there must be a higher ranking officer in close range. A minute later she spoke again in a much less formal tone. "Please Chin. Let me know as soon as you have something."

"I'll have Steve call you as soon as we get to him," Chin promised quietly.

"Thank you and good luck," Catherine added before hanging up.

Chin lowered the phone and looked at Kono and Brown in concern.

"Catherine says that Hawkins' men are moving in on the crash site. She could see them leaving the road and heading into the jungle in the direction of where the helicopter went down," Chin informed them. "She could not see Steve or Danny near the copter."

"Then let's get moving," Kono said urgently. "We have got to find them first."

"It looks like this Hawkins character isn't big on loose ends," Capt. Brown commented. "He even took his dead with him. He isn't letting anything remain behind that can connect to him. Knowing that Steve or Danny can identify him will make him hunt them more diligently."

"Chin, Steve won't leave Danny if he is hurt. We need to get down that road as quick as we can and help them," Kono reminded him.

"They'll be watching the road," Chin replied.

"So will McGarrett sit tight waiting for a rescue? He'll be a sitting duck for that group," Brown observed.

"Not the Boss, they won't take him by surprise," Kono said confidently. "He'll figure out that Hawkins is after them and he will get Danny to safety."

"So where will he go for that safety?" Brown questioned.

"Steve will head back here," Chin said with certainty. "He will know that we will begin our search right here and he'll try to get to us."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Brown inquired. "We don't know if they can make it here to us. We're going to have to go in there after them," he added motioning to the jungle.

"That's our only option," Chin agreed. "We need to work in teams of two to cover the most area. And bear in mind there are others out there who will shoot first without question."

"That's a lot of ground to cover. Maybe I should call in for more help."

"We don't have time. They'll take too long to arrive," Chin argued. "We'll have to do this with the team we have."

"And we have to move now," Kono said urgently as she headed back to the SUV. Chin and Brown hurried after her as the captain whistled for his men to join them.

"We are going to begin a search for Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams. We have received confirmation that their helicopter was brought down to the northeast of here. We will be going into the jungle in teams of two and keep in radio contact," Brown announced. "Now we have a suspicion that one of the 5-0 members may be injured, so first and foremost this is a rescue search. Roger, you are with me. Any sign of 5-0 or Hawkins and his men, you will radio in to me or Lt. Kelly and Officer Kalakaua. Is that clear?"

A chorus of "yes sir" rang out and the men went to supply themselves from their vehicles. Chin grabbed his shotgun from the SUV as Kono took her rifle from the backseat along with extra ammo. She secured her vest as Chin did the same. Double checking the backpack, Chin noted that there was some water and snack bars along with some dried fruit pouches. The satellite phone was there and Kono was getting the handheld radio out of the front seat.

"Grab the flashlights too," Chin called out.

Kono nodded and took one and clipped it to her belt and then brought the other one to Chin. He placed it in the pack and then glanced around at the others. The State Patrol was ready to go.

"I guess we are going on a hike," Chin observed.

The teams of law enforcement spread out and after a radio check they all disappeared into the overgrowth. Chin led the way as he and Kono headed on the most direct route towards the crash site. The two cousins plunged ahead through the underbrush, trying to make the best time they could knowing that Steve and Danny were being hunted. Around twenty minutes into the brush, Chin halted with Kono stopping beside him.

"How far do you think Steve and Danny could get from the crash site by now?" Kono asked as she caught her breath. They had been walking as rapidly as they could over the rough terrain. That only emphasized how difficult it would be for their injured teammates.

"It depends on how badly hurt Danny is," Chin replied. "It would be slow going if Steve has to carry him. And we have no idea if Steve was injured in the crash."

"I was really hoping that wasn't' a possibility," Kono sighed. She peered into the brush ahead of them. "At least we haven't heard any gunfire. That means that Steve and Danny are probably still free."

"If we find them we will have to approach them carefully," Chin reflected thoughtfully. "Steve is going to be on alert, expecting trouble."

"The Boss won't shoot us," Kono said lightly. "He is cautious but he's not reckless no matter what Danny thinks."

"But he will be more desperate if he's worried about Danny," Chin reminded her. Kono instantly sobered.

"Okay, okay…..we will approach carefully. Now let's move," she admonished. "They don't have all day." With that she took the lead deeper into the jungle.

*H 5-0*

Steve had been leading the way through the undergrowth that led back towards the original clearing at a cautious but steady pace. They had made some good time until Danny staggered and fell.

"Danno!" Steve exclaimed as he swung around to see his partner all ready pushing to his feet.

"I'm okay Steven…..I just stumbled," Danny protested as he wrapped one arm around his middle and blinked the sweat out of his eyes. "Let's keep moving Rambo."

"We can take a breather Danny. Sit down for a minute and I'll check to make sure we don't have anyone close," Steve ordered.

"I think you should sit for a minute too," Danny stated. "You are looking a little green around the gills my friend," he urged. While he knew that he felt lousy he was aware that McGarrett was not in as great a shape as he claimed. There was no ignoring how shallow Steve was breathing or how often he rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm fine Danno."

"Sure you are. I dare you to take a deep breath without passing out," Danny challenged.

"Danny….."

"Admit it big guy, you are hurting. There is no shame in acknowledging your injuries," Williams pressed on.

"I will get you out of here Danny, just let me do my job," Steve growled in exasperation. He stalked off to check the ground they had just covered.

"If you collapse in the jungle I'm in no condition to drag your butt out of there," Danny called after him as he seated himself on a rock to wait. No reply came from McGarrett.

Danny propped the gun butt on the ground and gripped the barrel with both hands. He closed his eyes in weariness and took several deep breaths. His side ached unmercifully and he hated the weakness that had invaded his whole being. Danny had every intention of going on but he needed Steve to be beside him. If McGarrett collapsed, Danny was not sure he could continue on. The sound of Steve returning through the undergrowth made him open one eye to observe his partner gingerly taking a seat on a fallen tree trunk nearby.

"Are we safe?"

"For the moment," Steve replied. He dug a water bottle out of the duffel bag at his feet and took a small swallow. Then he leaned forward to hand the bottle to Danny.

Williams accepted it and drank deeply, then handed it back to McGarrett, who began to recap the bottle.

"Take some more Steven," Danny scolded. "That little swallow wasn't enough."

Instead of arguing, Steve did as he was told and drank a bit more before storing the bottle safely away.

"Can we really make it back to the clearing?" Danny asked. "We have a lot of ground to cover."

"We have to," Steve said shortly. He looked at Danny inquiringly. "Can you go on?"

"I'll keep going as long as you do Superman," Danny stated firmly. "And how is your headache? If you can walk out of here, I can walk out of here."

Steve smiled at him grudgingly and nodded slightly.

"Okay, we keep moving," he said getting to his feet slowly. The pain in his chest was not improving. Danny had gotten to his feet as well and he gestured to the jungle growth.

"Lead on McGruff."

"Really…you are quoting Tony Archer now?" Steve asked with raised eyebrows.

"You can call me Muscles," Danny offered with a shrug.

"Shut up Danno," Steve growled and walked away. Grinning, Danny followed. His side hurt but if Steve could keep going so would he.

They had not gotten far when Steve took a misstep and his right foot went into a hole hidden by some sticks. A cry of surprise escaped him before he could stifle it and he fell forward, arms outstretched. He held himself off the ground, his head hanging as pain washed through his whole body. Slowly he took in a shallow breath, waiting for the pain to subside.

End chapter.

**There you go; this isn't going to be an easy rescue. Thanks for reading. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I make no profit in any way from writing this story. Of course the reviews are nice.**

**Thanks for all the feedback, it keeps me going.**

Chapter 5

"Steve!" Danny exclaimed as he saw his partner fall. He hurried to him and knelt beside McGarrett, placing one hand on his shoulder.

Breathing shallowly, Steve shook his head and slowly sat on the ground, extracting his foot from the hole. His ankle throbbed but Steve didn't think he had broken it.

"I'm okay, I think," he said through gritted teeth. He adjusted the vest under his shirt with care, wincing as a fresh stab of pain ran through his torso. The jarring fall had done nothing to improve the pounding behind in his skull.

"I'm thinking that we both could use some more rest babe," Danny said. "We've been pushing ourselves and neither of us are at the top of our game."

"Speak for yourself," Steve growled as he pushed to his feet. His ankle buckled slightly and he quickly shifted his weight to his left leg to stay upright. "We are being hunted Danny, we have to move on."

"You aren't going too far on that bum ankle. Hawkins and his goon won't have to do much if those ribs of yours are broken and you puncture something." Danny waved off the protest he could see coming. "I'm not blind Steven, you are in a world of hurt and it is not getting any better the further we travel. We just need to rest some more before one of us collapses and we are out in the open."

"Dan…." Steve halted before finishing the name as he looked closer at his partner. There was a brighter stain of red on Danny's shirt and the man was flushed with fever. "Okay, let's find a safe spot where we can rest."

Danny looked surprised to have won the argument so easily. Not wanting to press his luck, he stepped to Steve's side and draped Steve's left arm over his shoulders.

"I can walk Danny," McGarrett protested, not wanting to add a further burden to his partner.

"You can hobble. For the moment let's just work together, okay? I'll let you carry the duffel bag," Danny said stubbornly. He kept Steve's arm anchored in place with a tight grip.

"Okay," Steve gave in.

A few yards ahead was a rock outcropping with a grouping of trees that created a sheltered spot between two of the larger trees. Several fallen branches lay nearby and the rock provided an impenetrable backdrop.

"That is as good a spot as any," Steve said and indicated that Danny should settle in first.

As Danny sat, Steve dropped the duffel beside him and then hobbled over to drag the largest branch over to shield the entrance. His ankle still throbbed but didn't hurt as much as it first had. Once the branch was in place, Steve lowered himself gingerly to the ground.

Danny watched McGarrett silently, not wanting to listen to more denials from the stubborn SEAL. Instead he dug into the duffel and extracted two protein bars.

"Hey Steve, eat something. It may be a bit before Chin and Kono find us," Danny urged holding out a bar.

Steve eyed the bar and then looked at Danny with raised eyebrows. He accepted the bar and unwrapped it hoping it wouldn't bring on a fresh wave of nausea.

"You playing mother hen?" he enquired with a small smile.

"If need be."

"Okay…thanks," Steve acknowledged and leaned against a tree trunk as he ate the bar. He kept his gaze scanning the area always on alert. "I'll get you out of this Danny. I promise I'll get you back to Grace."

"Don't get mushy on me McGarrett," Danny retorted. "I have no doubt that we'll get out of this but I do question who is going to carry who out of this jungle."

Steve didn't say anything but turned to look at Williams in amusement. The image of Danny carrying him was entertaining but he had no doubt that if it was his only option, Williams would try. Steve never underestimated his partner's ability to rise to whatever the situation demanded. The fact that Danny was worrying about him just made Steve more determined to get them both out alive.

Danny relaxed, enjoying the coolness of the rock at his back. He felt warm and suspected he was running a fever. His side ached and he knew that even with the bandaging his wound was still bleeding. It wasn't a heavy flow but he was aware that a cross country hike wasn't doing him much good. He reflected on their options and wondered if Steve could get further on his own.

"Steve, if Chin and Kono come up that road they could run into Hawkins and his crew," he said voicing the concern that had been nagging at him.

"From where they were waiting they would know that Hawkins didn't leave the way he came in. That has to tell them that Hawkins headed further down that road. Chin will be cautious and not go that way," Steve replied as he continued to scan the area.

"We aren't even sure that they know we crashed."

"We would have reached Hilo by now if we hadn't crashed. One call and Brown would have been able to discover we didn't arrive," McGarrett countered.

"This is a big island, how will they know where to search?" Danny couldn't help playing devil's advocate; he wanted a solid reason to expect this whole mess to work out in their favor.

"I'm willing to bet that Chin will find a way to locate the downed helicopter," Steve commented with a wry grin.

"Now how can he do that? The man is a good detective but he doesn't have access to satellite surveillance…or does he?" Danny asked as a realization hit him. He grinned at Steve.

"Before we left Oahu, I noticed that Chin accessed my phone contacts. I believe he memorized Catherine's phone number," Steve said, not at all upset.

"So Ms Navy Intelligence could zero in our crash site," Danny concluded. "You need to marry that woman Steven."

"I'll handle my own love life thank you very much," Steve stated with a frown. "I have other pressing matters to deal with before I consider taking that step."

"Okay but you snooze and you lose," Danny taunted.

Before McGarrett could answer him, the sound of rustling in the jungle could be heard off to their right. Both men froze and lifted their weapons to train on the location of the sounds of danger. Steve reached out to draw the branch closer in front of them. Danny got to his knees and held his weapon ready. Having a threat to focus on pushed all feelings of weakness aside and Danny concentrated on the source of the noise.

"Wait until the last minute, don't alert them to us," Steve said quietly. "They may not see us."

"Dreamer," Danny breathed but remained still.

Moments later two rough looking Hawaiians carrying assault weapons came out of the brush. They gave the area a cursory glance, not really searching with due diligence.

"Does Hawkins really expect us to find these two haoles in this jungle?" the shorter man grumbled.

"They're cops, Pahia said so. You know the boss doesn't want anyone around that can identify him. We keep looking until someone finds them," the other one argued.

"Well one of them is hurt. I now I hit that shorter blonde dude, there was blood in the copter wreck. They can't have gone far if one is hurt," the first man asserted.

"Then search for blood Manu, that should point to where they are," his partner instructed.

"You expect me to find a blood trail in this jungle Koa? I'm no frickin bloodhound," Manu said angrily. "I say we go check the road. They are not hiking out of here through the jungle with an injured man."

"Sure…go back to the road. I'll just tell Hawkins that you had a better idea," Koa said waving his hand in the direction of the road. "Go ahead bruddah."

"Now let's not overreact," Manu said quickly. "I'm not saying that the Boss doesn't know what he is doing. Let's keep searching."

The two men moved away without even looking in the direction of the two 5-0 members. As they disappeared into the brush, Danny released the breath he was holding and leaned back against the rock. The pain that he had holding back suddenly washed over him and he dropped his weapon to the ground, clutching his side.

"Danny?" Steve questioned in concern.

"I'm okay," Danny said quickly. "I will be okay once I catch my breath. That was too damn close."

"I agree," Steve answered. "And with this pair getting as close as they have, I think we have to keep moving."

"Really? You can walk on that ankle? I am not carrying you all the way to Hilo," Danny challenged.

Steve got to his feet and reached down to take the duffel, carefully putting his full weight on the bad leg. The ankle throbbed somewhat but didn't buckle.

"I'm ready."

"Okay, carry on. If you need the crutch, say the word. I think I am getting used to supporting you," Danny said with a smug smile as he rose to his feet.

"Just move," Steve sighed and led the way out of their hiding place. He hated the idea of pushing Danny but this run in with Hawkins' men had him worried. They had been lucky that these two had been careless in their search but that luck would not hold forever. The closer they got to the clearing the better the chance that Chin and Kono would be able to find them.

Keeping the pace slow but steady, McGarrett was relieved to discover that his ankle was tender but it did not seem that it would give out on him. However the pain in his chest had not lessened and he still had bouts of nausea. They had gotten only a few yards when he paused and noticed that Danny had fallen behind and was hugging a tree to stay upright. Alarm flashed across Steve's face as he could see that Danny was ready to collapse.

"Danny, I am putting you somewhere safe and I'll go look for Chin and Kono alone," he announced as he hurried back to his partner.

End chapter.

**I think our guys are running out of steam. Time is running out on them. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I certainly like playing with their characters from time to time.**

**Thank you everyone who has read and reviewed, you make my day when I see the reviews in my email box. You are all special.**

Chapter 6

"We are not splitting up Steven," Danny exclaimed as he pushed away from the tree. "We need to stick together, so I am not letting you go on alone. I will be okay!"

"You don't look okay," Steve insisted stubbornly.

"Neither do you," Danny shot back. "We're both hurting but we are seeing this out together. Don't argue with me, I know my limit and I haven't reached it yet. We need each other."

Steve shook his head and scanned the area around them. When he looked back at his partner, there was no mistaking the determined set to Danny's jaw or the stubborn gleam in his eye. It was evident that he'd have to knock Williams out and tie him up to get him to stay behind.

"Okay…..I'm only worried about your wound but we'll stay together," Steve relented. His voice was rough with concern.

"I appreciate that you're looking out for me babe but one bullet is not stopping me. By the way, getting shot is becoming the norm around you. Next time we go undercover, I am wearing body armor, to hell with fooling the bad guys," Danny said lightly, then sobered. "Honest Steve, I will be okay."

"If you insist," Steve agreed. "Can you go a bit further? The closer we get to the clearing the sooner we get rescued."

"I can if you can," Danny told him as he started forward. Steve stuck close to his side, keeping one eye on his partner as he picked the easiest ground to cover.

They had traveled for about fifteen minutes before both of them realized that they were quickly wearing down. Sounds of pursuit were getting louder and the ground underfoot was getting rougher. Both men stumbled more frequently and the pace had to slow accordingly. Steve hooked one arm around Danny to help him keep up but found that he needed the support just as much. The ankle that had been feeling tolerable now began to throb with every step.

They paused to rest and catch their breath and Danny could see that Steve was just as exhausted as he was.

"We need to take a break. You look like you could use some water," Steve suggested as he set the duffel bag on the ground. "You know, maybe it would be better if we found a place to hole up and wait for Chin and Kono to find us," he added, glancing at Danny to see how his partner took that news.

"I will keep going Steve," Danny stubbornly insisted although his heart wasn't in it. He sank down on a rock to rest.

"Of course you can," Steve agreed. "But the truth is that I am finding it more difficult to breathe easy. Let's find a spot we can defend if we have too. I am sure that one group or the other is going to find us soon. I would prefer not to be out in the open."

Steve hated admitting that he was weakening but if that was the only way to get Danny to rest then he would use it. And it wasn't a lie, his breathing had become more painful and he knew that his fight to keep moving was creating a greater risk to his health. Finding a spot to dig in and defend was a sensible thing to do.

Danny nodded, realizing that Steve made sense. Like McGarrett, he didn't like admitting to weakness of any kind but his wound was still bleeding and he was becoming weaker by the moment. He may have insisted that he could keep moving but he was willing to bet that he would end up face first on the ground if they kept going. His partner was right and he had to agree with his decision.

"So, what do you suggest? Where do we hide around here?" Danny asked. Nothing looked like a safe spot from where he sat.

The area that they presently were in had lots of trees and a rock wall that rose off to their left. Steve could see that the wall ran to the south for some distance. Brush grew in bunches along the rock face in sporadic places.

"Stay put. I am going to see if there are any breaks in this rock. We could take shelter in a large enough one," Steve told Danny.

Danny nodded, too tired to argue about Steve leaving him here to wait. He brought his weapon up into a ready position to show he would keep watch. Steve patted him on the shoulder as he left his assault rifle and the duffel bag with Danny. With only the sidearm there was less strain on Steve as he moved down the rock face, disappearing through some dense brush. He returned in less than ten minutes.

"There is a shallow cave just down the wall a ways," he announced. "It will be easy to defend and there is room for both of us to fit. It is the best we can find on short notice."

"You get my vote for cave shopping from now on," Danny drawled as he got to his feet and picked up the duffel. "Being out here in the open is making me itchy."

"Come on then," Steve said taking his weapon. He led the way through the brush and traveled along the rock wall until they came to a more open space. A gap in the wall looked large enough to hold two men plus a bit of elbow room. He motioned for Danny to go inside.

Going inside the fissure, Danny set the bag down and looked around.

"Cozy, you did good big guy," he grinned and then frowned when Steve dug the large knife out of the duffel bag. "Just what are you planning to gut?" he asked curiously.

"I'm going to cut some brush and try and hide this opening," Steve explained. "Is that okay with you?"

"Sure babe, knock yourself out," Danny approved. "Do you think that will fool anyone?"

"It worked earlier, didn't it? I can leave this space open if you like," Steve offered.

"No…that's okay. You go right ahead and cut brush. You are quite good at that," Danny commented as he waved his hand at the opening. He kept watch as McGarrett hacked at some of the brush around the area and dragged some of the larger ones back to the opening of the fissure. Danny moved back further into the gap and observed Steve's effort to arrange the brush to screen the opening.

"Very nice," Danny nodded as he sank down to sit on the ground. "The next time I need a cave decorator, I am calling you."

"You'll thank me if this keeps us alive," McGarrett retorted.

"Of course I will Martha Stewart. And what do you mean by "if"? You promised to get me back to Grace. I'm holding you to that," Danny groused.

"Please Danno, give it a rest," Steve sighed as he settled carefully to the ground. He didn't like the flush to Danny's face. "I promise this will work out."

McGarrett rested his weapon across his knees and went into the duffel to extract the almost empty bottle of water.

"Finish this," he instructed handing Danny the bottle.

Danny didn't argue and finished off the small amount left in it. Eyes closed, he enjoyed the cool liquid flowing down his throat. No way did he want to admit to Steve just how exhausted he was and just how much pain his wound was giving him. When he opened his eyes, he set the bottle down and noticed Steve was holding out two white tablets in the palm of his hand and a second bottle of water.

"Tylenol?" Danny questioned. "For a gunshot wound? Just what kind of medical experience do you actually have?"

"It will help with the fever you're running. It's all this kit has but it can't hurt," Steve said, his eyes brimming with concern.

"So now you think you are a doctor?" Danny grumbled but took the pills with a swallow of water. As he returned the bottle to Steve, he observed how McGarrett was wincing in pain. "I think you need a couple of those pills yourself, my friend. Between your ribs and that ankle, you could use some pain relief too," he suggested.

To his surprise Steve didn't argue but dug out two more tablets and swallowed them down. McGarrett then stowed the empty bottle along with the other one in the duffel.

Resting his head back against the rock wall, Danny surveyed the area beyond their brush screening.

"So, who do you think gets here first? Hawkins or the cavalry? I'm betting its Hawkins but I'll be happy to be wrong," he finally commented.

"Chin and Kono have more ground to cover so I'm not taking that bet," Steve said quietly.

"Couldn't you just pretend to play along?" Danny sighed.

Steve ignored his partner's grumbling and tried to keep his attention focused on the area outside their hiding place. Now that they were settled in, the adrenalin that had been keeping him going had fled and his body was completely exhausted. The pounding in his skull had increased and all he wanted to do was shut his eyes and slip into oblivion. He had to shift position to make his ribs hurt so that the pain counteracted the exhaustion.

Sounds from beyond the open space before them snapped Steve to attention and he quickly brought his weapon up and trained it in the direction of the noise.

"Looks like you will get your answer in a moment Danno," he whispered.

"I hate being right," Danny whispered back, he also had heard the noise and had his weapon ready.

They froze and watched while three men emerged from the brush brandishing their weapons. None of the three were Hawkins or Manunui or the two others they had hid from earlier. Danny let Steve make the first move and since he was waiting, Danny waited too. Steve was aware that any sounds of gunfire would immediately draw Hawkins and the rest of the group to their location. For the moment it was safer to see if their hiding place remained safe from prying eyes.

The trio, two Hawaiians and one black man, separated to casually search the area in front of the rock wall. Danny began to think that their luck would hold as the men only gave the wall a cursory look. Suddenly the black man's gaze swept their brush screen and frowned. Danny could feel the sweat break out on his forehead and he saw Steve tense and grip his weapon tighter as the man walked in their direction. The man paused near their fissure in the wall and his weapon no longer hung easily at his side. Slowly his dark eyes swept the face of the wall, not pausing on their pile of brush but he didn't move away immediately either.

End chapter.

**We knew the guys couldn't keep running forever. So what do you think is going to happen next? See you next Friday. Thanks for reading.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do enjoy taking the characters out for some fun and I promise I will bring them back when I am finished.**

**Thank you to all who have reviewed. It is Friday, so I have returned.**

Chapter 7

"Say when," Danny whispered as he gripped his weapon tightly as he watched the two men near the trees.

"Patience," Steve hissed back as he kept his gaze locked on the man who was checking out their cave.

For several tense heartbeats the man studied the rock wall and then turned back to his two companions. Slowly he moved back to confer with the others. He kept his back to the wall.

Danny slowly exhaled, letting his weapon dip lower. It looked like they were going to be lucky once again. He could see that the two Hawaiians were eager to move on. Ready to set his weapon down and relax, Danny noticed Steve stiffen and he raised his rifle once more.

"We've been made," Steve stated tersely.

"What? How?" Danny stammered under his breath.

"Radio. Damn, he has to be calling Hawkins," McGarrett swore. "Brace yourself, all hell is about to break loose."

Looking at the three men, Williams saw the black man turn to look back at them, a radio held to his mouth just as Steve fired. The two Hawaiians instantly crouched and fired a volley of bullets at their hiding place but their attack was cut short as Steve fired again, taking them down with deadly accuracy before Danny could squeeze the trigger. The exchange was brief but loud. Danny looked at Steve in apprehension.

"So now what? Do we run?" he asked.

"We have no idea how close Hawkins and the rest of his men are. If we leave here we could run right into them," Steve answered. "Besides, neither of us is in any shape to run far. This is as good a place to defend as any. We need to just sit tight and wait."

"Okay, I defer to your greater combat experience," Danny said setting his weapon aside. "I'm really tired of stumbling around in this jungle anyway. I'm a city boy at heart."

Steve grinned at his partner.

"At least you have on the proper boots for this hike," he observed.

"Yea…well I've learned my lesson. Hanging out with a Neanderthal requires a specialized wardrobe," Danny retorted.

Steve began to argue and then just waved his hand at his partner and turned his attention to the space beyond their cave.

"I don't know how much that guy told Hawkins on the radio but he was bound to hear the gunfire. Stay ready, one way or another they're going to find us," Steve warned softly.

"I'm ready," Danny responded. "I'm sure that Chin and Kono heard the shots too."

"I'm counting on that," Steve replied. "We need to get you to a doctor before you get any weaker."

"Before I get any weaker?" Danny questioned with raised eyebrows. "You aren't exactly at your best right now. We both could use some medical attention." He stared at McGarrett, daring him to disagree. "We'll hold these jokers off until help arrives," he added seriously.

"Of course we will," Steve confirmed. "No question about it."

Danny smiled weakly. McGarrett was so confident about his abilities to fight off any enemy but Williams could see that his partner was not in top form. However, there was no mistaking the steely glint in Steve's eyes and Danny knew he'd be a fool to bet against the man.

*H 5-0*

Kono stopped to catch her breath after they had been pushing through the undergrowth. She was a few feet ahead of Chin and she surveyed the dense jungle around them. A long sigh escaped her as she gave the endless green an annoyed stare.

"Are we making any progress? I can't tell," she grumbled. "This is all beginning to look the same."

"If you had come along on some of those family hikes when we were younger, you would have learned how to find your way in the wilderness," Chin commented dryly. "But you always preferred to be surfing."

"I seem to remember only one such invitation and that was the day before a big competition," Kono grinned. "So that makes you the expert Cuz, you take point."

Chin consulted his compass and studied the landscape more closely.

"IF we are right about Danny being hurt then Steve would pick the most direct route from the crash to the clearing," he reviewed out loud. He pointed ahead where a rock wall could be seen through the foliage. "That rock wall looks like it stretches for some distance. I think we should follow it since it seems to be running in the right direction," he suggested and headed towards the rock.

As they moved along the base of the wall, the air was filled with the sound of gunfire. The sound halted their progress and both 5-0 members raised their weapons in preparation of a fight. Tense looks were exchanged.

"I think we've located Steve and Danny," Chin said as Kono unclipped the radio that hung on her belt next to her flashlight.

"Capt. Brown, there's gunfire to the northeast of us. Chin and I are probably the closest. Gather your men and catch up to us," she instructed crisply.

"Heading your way," Brown responded. "Be careful until we get there."

"Roger that," Kono replied and clicked the radio off, replacing it on her belt. "Let's go Chin."

Leading the way, Chin picked his way quickly over the uneven ground. The sound of shooting had been some distance away and had been brief. No more sounds had followed the initial outburst.

Kono hurried after Chin, worrying what the silence meant. She didn't want to even consider the possibility that the Hawkins and his men had gotten the drop on Steve and Danny. It was her fervent hope that Danny and the boss had gotten the better of their attackers.

Chin's face was set in a grim mask of determination as they made their way towards where the gunfire had originated. He fully believed that Steve and Danny had survived the shooting but he knew that it was far from over. The shooting had been over too fast and while he was sure that Steve was an excellent shot, Chin doubted that he eliminated all of Hawkins' men in that small burst.

*H 5-0*

"So how long do you think this is going to take?" Danny asked as the waiting began to wear on his nerves. He gazed out at the three bodies that lay out in the open.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Steve said simply.

"Oh goody, I love just sitting around waiting to see if friend or foe walks into the clearing next," Danny grumbled. "Do we have enough ammo for a standoff?"

Steve pulled the ammunition box out of the duffel bag.

"Aim carefully and we'll be set for awhile," he said setting the box between them.

"Easy for you to say Mr. Sure Shot. I'll do the best I can," Danny said sarcastically.

"You're a good shot Danny," Steve sighed. He steeled himself for another rant although he knew that Danny needed the release that his rants gave him to maintain his balance. "We'll be okay buddy, honest," he said trying to reassure his partner.

Danny felt the impulse to continue letting off steam but he was touched by Steve's confidence in him. He would have to be blind not to see the strain that showed around McGarrett's eyes and didn't have the heart to add to it right at the moment.

"Okay."

"No further complaints?" Steve asked in surprise.

"Nope. We hold them off as long as necessary," Danny assured him. "I've got your back partner."

"I've never doubted that," Steve said seriously.

"Good," Danny said nodding. "Good. So now we just sit here and hold the fort, depending on Chin and Kono to get here quickly. Just another fun day in the jungle with Super SEAL." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"I knew you couldn't hold it in," Steve said, the corner of his mouth quirking upwards.

Before Danny could continue, McGarrett held up one hand for silence. Steve had risen to a crouch, his gaze searching the area beyond their small glade. Danny moved closer to Steve's side, trying to hear what his partner heard. The sounds of breaking branches and brush being swept aside were faint but were becoming louder.

"They are not going to believe that those guys shot themselves," Danny said nodding towards the three bodies.

"No and normally I would have hidden the bodies but I didn't want to be caught out in the open," Steve replied.

"And you didn't need to aggravate those ribs further. No one is handing out blame here Steven," his partner chided. "I was just trying to point out that they can figure out where this little cave is located from where those corpses are. Cause I am guessing that isn't the State Police out there."

"You are such an optimist," Steve said under his breath. "Once you get a clear look, shoot first and ask for ID later," he instructed. "I'm pretty sure that this isn't the State Police."

"Don't worry, I am ready," Danny said quietly.

"Good, we will be okay Danno," Steve said calmly. "Stay calm."

"It's my middle name," Danny answered with a grim smile.

They both turned their attention to the jungle just beyond their hiding place as the noises stopped.

End chapter.

**Round two is about to begin. Thank you for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I am hoping that they will rent the rights sometime but I won't hold my breath for that opportunity to arise soon.**

**Thank you everyone for all your support. My muse is in a foul mood so the guys may not see a rescue just yet.**

Chapter 8

McGarrett and Williams sat tensely in their rock cave and kept their weapons trained on the jungle beyond their clearing. It was very easy to distinguished that their targets were hidden in the brush just short of the open area in front of the rock wall. Shadows moved in the overgrowth but could not be made out clearly, keeping the two men from getting an accurate shot at their adversaries.

Hawkins stood in the jungle, making sure that he was protected from sight of the rock wall as his men gathered before him. The bodies of his men could be glimpsed through the trees and the sight made his blood boil.

"Baker reported that the cops were hidden in the rocks behind some brush," Hawkins told his crew in a low voice. "We have them trapped."

"Boss, there are lots of bushes along that wall," Manu pointed out. "How do we know they didn't take off after shooting the place up?"

"Think Manu," Hawkins glared at his not so bright underling. "They're holed up because they can't keep running. Look at where the bodies are lying and then figure out where the shots came from," he instructed in annoyance.

Koa shoved his friend before he opened his mouth again, not wanting Manu to say something about their search of another clearing where they had come up empty. There was no need for the boss to know they had not been thorough enough in their search.

"So what do you want to do Lamar?" Ben Manunui asked. He raised his weapon. "Do we just pepper the rock?"

"Let's see if we can learn who they've contacted," Hawkins suggested.

"You said you wanted them dead," Manunui argued. "Let's not mess around, just kill them and we can get out of here. It is going to be dark soon."

Hawkins considered his second in command's advice and a slow smile spread over his face.

"We don't know how protected they are in that rock. Let's have some fun first. I'm going to rattle their cage a bit," he announced. "Get the men in position while I do."

"Sounds good," Manunui laughed.

Hawkins moved closer to the clearing making sure that he had a thick tree trunk between the wall and his body.

"Hey Smith, Jones, we have your hiding place surrounded, give up and come out," he called.

His command was met with silence.

"You'll die here if you don't," he tried again.

Once more Steve and Danny remained silent. At the first taunt Steve had held up a cautionary hand but he quickly realized Danny had no intention of taking the bait. Steve concentrated on raising his weapon to try and get a bead on Hawkins.

In the brush, Manunui motioned for his men to spread out and cover the rock barrier from several angles.

"I'm not going to wait all day cops. Come out now if you hope to live. I am willing to make a deal," Hawkins tried once more.

Steve glanced at Danny who had carefully edged up to the mouth of the fissure to stand beside him. Danny shook his head emphatically as Hawkins' latest offer echoed in the air.

"He's lying," Danny hissed.

"Look…" Steve said indicating movement that could be seen in the brush to their right. A flash of a bright red tank top could be seen amid the green foliage.

"If you shoot, they'll know exactly where we are," Danny whispered.

"They are going to start shooting at us any minute now anyway," Steve whispered back. "I think it's time we take the fight to them first."

Danny swallowed hard as he considered their options. They had no idea where Kono or Chin were and McGarrett had nailed their current situation accurately. The tone in Hawkins' voice had clearly indicated that he intended to open fire at any moment and would not deal. The chatter had only been a ploy to allow his men to take up strategic positions to begin shooting at their hideout.

"Okay, I'll start on the left and you begin with the tomato over there," he said calmly. "We'll meet in the middle, okay?"

Steve nodded and shifted so he could get the best angle on the piece of bright red still visible among the bushes.

"On three," he breathed.

"Go," Danny agreed.

"One…two…three," Steve counted quietly and began firing into the brush. Danny's own weapon discharged from the other side of their cave mouth as his bullets tore up the foliage. The spray of bullets converged to the area directly before the fissure.

Answering gunfire came from the jungle along with some cries of pain that could be heard as several shots hit their marks. As Hawkins' men directed their shots into the cave, Steve's arm shot out to shove Danny to the ground as he dropped beside him. His movement was rewarded with stab of pain racing through his chest and he caught his breath. Rock chips rained down on their heads as slugs ricocheted around the interior of the cave. More shots followed and Steve and Danny tried to flatten themselves even more, trying to avoid the bullets.

"Danny, you okay?" Steve gasped when he could finally catch his breath, afraid to raise his head.

"Still breathing," Danny groaned. He reached up to touch the back of his scalp gingerly. His fingers came back sticky red, indicating that a bullet had grazed him. "Did we hit anything?"

"I got the tomato," Steve panted. His entire body was threatening to seize up on him as the pain in his chest did not back off. He struggled to shove the pain down and regain control of his body.

Another round of shots sent bullets flying above them and one lucky one skimmed Steve's right shoulder causing him to flinch slightly.

"Steve?" Danny questioned as he heard his partner's hiss of pain.

"Get back," Steve ordered as he felt a surge of adrenalin and he pushed himself to his feet. "Now Danno, get as far back as you can." Steve grabbed a fresh clip from the box, shoved it into place after removing the spent one and methodically began firing into the jungle. His shots now presented a new angle for the enemy to deal with. Not knowing if he was hitting anything, Steve continued to fire, only hoping to make the enemy retreat and buy some time for the rescue to arrive.

Silence descended on the clearing.

The four remaining members of Hawkins crew gathered further back in the safety of the jungle. Ben Manunui was nursing a gunshot wound to his right arm but Hawkins, Koa and one other were unharmed. Besides Manu, one other member of their group was missing.

"Boss, they're dug in pretty tight," Koa said, still shaken from watching his friend take a direct hit at the start of the shooting.

Hawkins glared at his men, anger burning him up because of the losses his group had taken. He could tell from that last burst of fire that his enemy was shifting angles on him and not hiding in fear. At least one of his quarries was alive and he was a damn good shot.

"Steve, what's happening?" Danny asked softly from his position against the cave wall. He tried to get to his feet but his legs refused to obey him at the moment. His strength was almost gone and now the back of his head throbbed like an offbeat bell. He could see McGarrett's body sag against the rock wall, letting the solid structure support him. Danny rested against the rock.

"They've backed off," Steve answered. His eyes searched the jungle, trying to catch any glimpse of movement. He desperately hoped that Chin and Kono were nearby.

"I suppose it's stupid to hope they have given up," Danny sighed.

Steve looked at him with a grim smile.

"Ever the optimist, aren't you?" he commented. "Don't worry Danny, I promised that I would get you out of here." Steve knew his own energy was fading but he was really concerned at how grey Danny's coloring was becoming.

"You really need to do something about that Superman complex that you have," Danny muttered. "Face it Steve, unless help arrives soon we're screwed."

Steve's strength in his legs gave out and he sank to the ground.

"You are a ray of sunshine," he said wearily.

In the jungle the rage got the better of Hawkins and he snarled at his men as he shook his rifle at them.

"No stinkin' cop is going to get the better of me. They are both dead men," he raged and charged back to the edge of the clearing. He fired his weapon into the brush that concealed his foes but only got off a couple of rounds before his weapon was empty. He turned back to get a fresh clip when a new burst of bullets from the cave had him running back to his men.

"I don't think Hawkins is giving up," Danny said dryly as he set his weapon down after firing.

"Nope, and he is getting luckier," Steve groaned as he curled up on the ground, a fresh red stain on his left upper arm.

"Damn, you are hit," Danny exclaimed.

"Just a flesh wound," Steve said through gritted teeth. His body was having difficulty recovering from this latest injury. He twisted slightly to look out of the cave. The leafy barrier was now tattered from the gunfire and was providing less protection from prying eyes. It would be easier to see them now.

"Steve, move back here," Danny instructed. "You are a sitting duck over there." He pulled the empty clip free of his gun and rammed a new one home. "Do you hear me McGarrett, move." Panic rushed through him as he realized that Steve was not moving and out cold.

End chapter.

**I told you the muse was cranky. Thank you for reading, I appreciate it.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Thankfully those that do haven't prevented fanfic writers from having fun with the show.**

**Thank you everyone for reading. To all the guests, I appreciate your comments and wish I could reply to you personally. I really do love the support that the 5-0 readers extend to me as a writer.**

Chapter 9

"You had better not be dead Steven," Danny grumbled as he dragged himself forward to touch two fingers to McGarrett's neck. A slow but steady pulse could be felt and Danny let out a deep sigh of relief. "So who is the tough guy now SuperSEAL? I am the one who is still conscious."

Afraid to move his partner, positive he'd only damage Steve's broken ribs by dragging him away from the entrance, Danny wiggled himself forward and lay on his stomach, his gun propped before him and stared out at the clearing. No one was getting passed him to Steve.

"Don't worry babe, it's my turn to protect you," he stated firmly, hoping that the lower branches of the brush screen still provided enough cover to hide him. Like Steve had observed, Danny was aware of how the much of the leave protection was now missing from the rain of bullets that had poured into their cave. He settled in, preparing to counterattack the next wave of bullets.

*H 5-0*

When the sound of gunfire resumed in the jungle ahead of them, Chin and Kono increased their pace through the overgrowth. As they got closer to the sounds they paused, not wanting to rush into the exchange unprepared. Crouching in the brush, the cousins tried to get a clear picture of what was happening. At the moment there were only two of them and they wouldn't plunge into this without the State Police.

Moments later the sound of people approaching from behind them had them turning, ready to defend themselves. It was apparent in seconds that it was Captain Brown and his troopers and they were able to relax.

"We are glad to see you," Kono said in a low voice.

"Sounds like it's been nasty up there," Brown said as he crouched down next to them. "Do you think McGarrett and Williams survived that attack?"

"That has been an exchange of gunfire, not just one sided," Chin corrected seriously. "You could tell it was different weapons. I am positive that Steve and Danny are alive."

"So what do we do now?" Brown asked.

"We get behind Hawkins and squeeze them between us and Steve and Danny," Chin said quickly. "We take them by surprise."

"I think that someone should head back to that road and secure those vehicles and the weapons in them," Kono added.

"Rodgers," Brown said to his second in command. "Go deal with whoever is left with those weapons and trucks. Make sure they don't come up behind us."

"Yes sir," Rodgers said confidently and disappeared into the jungle quietly.

"So, when do we move?" Brown then asked the two 5-0 members.

"Now, we spread out and order them to surrender or we take them out," Chin said firmly. "Steve and Danny may not be able to hold them off any longer."

Brown was accustomed to being in charge on the Big Island but he was very aware of the power that 5-0 held. Gov. Denning might not have been ready to return full means and immunity to the task force but Brown was aware that they still carried a lot of clout. Now was not the time to start a power struggle and Kelly made a lot of sense.

"Take the lead Lt. Kelly, my men and I are ready to back you up," he said clearly, removing any doubt his men might have of who was calling the shots.

"We spread out, keeping each other in sight. The rock wall is to our left and Hawkins' men are just ahead from what we can hear. We get behind them and order them to surrender. We end this without bloodshed if we can," Chin fleshed out the plan. "Move quiet and take them by surprise."

"Sounds like a plan," Brown agreed. "Come on men, spread out and keep eyes on whoever is on either side of you. We move on Lt. Kelly's orders."

"Yes sir," come the quiet response and everyone moved out to try and outflank the enemy. Chin was to the far left as each person fanned out, maintaining visual contact with the person on either side. They halted when they finally got close enough to see Hawkins and his group.

Crouched down behind a rock, Kono could see Lamar Hawkins pacing in front of his remaining troops, snarling out his frustration at the failure to take out the two men in the cave.

I want them dead! They will run out of ammo sooner or later. We know they are trapped, as long as we keep them in that hole. I say we spread out in front of it and shoot into that cave until they are both dead," Hawkins ranted.

"How's our ammo Lamar?" Ben Manunui asked, hoping to calm his boss down.

"We've got enough to get the job done," Hawkins snapped. "Shoot straight in, both high and low and it won't take much to kill them."

"Not happening," Kono muttered softly as she raised her rifle. It would be so easy to drop Hawkins where he stood at this minute. She took a couple of deep breaths, knowing she had to wait for Chin's signal. He was right, they were law enforcement, and they had to give the men the chance to surrender. This was not a revenge mission. They needed to take this group when they were concentrating on the rock wall.

"Okay Lamar, then let's do this and get out of here. I am tired of being in this jungle. We need to get closer and then we can fire point blank at that fissure. There is no way the cops will walk out of there," Ben said confidently.

"Good thinking Benny," Hawkins grinned. He waved his assault rifle towards the rock wall. "Spread out boys but not so far that you can't shoot straight into that hole. Start high and bring your shots down to the ground. It is time to end this." He slammed a fresh clip in his weapon and turned to the wall, striding confidently towards it. His men followed his orders and spread out slightly, Koa staying on the far end of the group.

The law enforcement members followed suit, careful not to make any more noise than necessary. They would not alert the weapons dealer to their presence until they were set to fire and were not prepared to face opposition from behind.

Chin settled in a spot behind a fallen tree where he could cover several men in his sights. Manunui was closest with Lamar Hawkins right next to him. Glancing to his right, he could see Kono shielded by a large rock, waiting for a signal from him. She was gripping her rifle tightly. Chin had to bury the urge to just start shooting but knowing that this group was not likely to surrender did not excuse firing on them without giving them the option.

"Ready?" Hawkins could be heard calling out to his men. He received a few shouts of "yes sir" from his men and he raised his weapon.

"Lamar Hawkins," Chin called out as he rose to his feet and centered his weapon on the leader of the group. "5-0 and the State Police, drop your weapons, we have you surrounded."

Hawkins spun around in surprise, his weapon wavering around until he spotted Chin standing off to his right. His face was ugly in anger at this development.

"Listen to him Hawkins, we know who you are, give it up," Brown called from his spot further away. He stayed behind a tree trunk, keeping the weapons dealer off balance. Lamar swung to his left trying to find this new enemy.

"No!" he yelled in defiance.

"Give it up. Drop your weapons," Chin called out again.

"The hell I will," Hawkins roared as he opened fire wildly in Chin's direction as he swung back towards Kelly.

Chin and fired once and ducked back behind the tree trunk. The rest of the police and Kono started firing in response to the Hawkins' men turning to join their boss. Koa stepped further away of the group and dropped his weapon and raised his hands. He was not dying for Hawkins, prison didn't sound so bad.

From the cave, Danny provided a response of his own. He was sighted on Hawkins and fired a burst as soon as Hawkins opened fire towards Chin. He watched in satisfaction as the man dropped dead.

Once the shooting was over and the State Police were cuffing Koa, Danny dropped his head on his forearms in relief. His side was throbbing and the sticky, seeping of blood down the back of his neck had not ceased making him feel weak. Turning his head slightly he looked at McGarrett who had not moved.

"Hey Steve, rescue is here," he said reaching out to poke Steve. There was no response. "Damn it Steven, the cavalry have arrived." He poked McGarrett again. "Don't do this to me buddy," he pleaded.

"Danny! Steve!" Kono called as she sprinted towards the cave. She pulled the brush aside and peered inside, her eyes meeting Danny's. "Danny, are you okay?"

"Hanging in there Kono," Danny replied wearily. "But I am concerned about Steve."

Kono stepped inside the cave and felt a flutter of dread in her stomach at the sight before her. Danny's side was soaked in blood and the back of his scalp was also caked in red. McGarrett was on his left side, not moving. His upper right sleeve was stained dark crimson but did not appear to be a life threatening wound. She could see his chest moving, so at least the boss was breathing.

"Chin….we need a chopper out here ASAP. Steve's unconscious and Danny's bleeding," she yelled out of the cave. She then turned back to Danny and knelt by him. "Hey brah, what happened here? Why is Steve out?" she asked gently as she helped him as he struggled to sit up.

"He hit his head in the copter and then was thrown free when we crashed. The stubborn idiot insisted on leading us through the jungle with a possible concussion and most likely broken ribs. He got winged in this last gunfire exchange and I think Steve finally hit the wall," Danny told her. He rubbed his hand over his face, exhaustion taking over his body. He grinned tiredly at Kono. "Nice timing on the rescue rookie," he added. With a small groan, his eyes went closed and he started to slump over, fainting away.

End chapter.

**Rescue has arrived but I guess the drama is not done yet. Thank you so much for reading. Feedback makes the muse a very happy muse.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do enjoy letting my imagination run wild with the characters though. **

**Thank you all who have responded to this story. Let's see if we can get our guys some help now.**

Chapter 10

"Chin, hurry," Kono called as she caught Danny and controlled his fall to the ground. She checked his pulse and found it to be weak but steady.

"What's up Cuz?" Chin asked as he arrived at the cave entrance.

"Danny just passed out; his pulse is steady but weak. He's lost a lot of blood Chin. He was hit in the side and has a scalp wound," she reported. "Steve was unconscious when I arrived. Danny told me he thinks Steve has a concussion and broken ribs."

Chin crowded into the cave and knelt beside Steve, pressing his fingers to Steve's neck.

"His pulse is steady," he confirmed. He patted the man's cheek gently. "Steve…..can you hear me? Wake up brah."

A low groan came from the pone man. His eyes blinked open and then closed tightly as pain contorted his face.

"Boss…..are you okay?" Kono asked anxiously.

"Hey Kono…..Chin….is everything okay?" Steve questioned as he forced his eyes open. His breathing remained shallow and he made no attempt to move.

"It is now. We've got a medical chopper on the way," Kono replied.

"How's Danny?" Steve asked when he realized he didn't hear his partner. Making an attempt to sit up, Steve found Chin's hand restraining him.

"Stay down bruddah. Danny's just resting at the moment. You need to stay still until the chopper gets here. Don't make things worse," Chin instructed.

"Danny's running a fever. He got hit before we could get away from Hawkins," Steve panted, concerned about giving his team all the information. "How long till the chopper arrives, Danny needs a hospital?"

"I'd say you both do," Kono said dryly. "I'm not sure how either of you got as far through this jungle as you did."

"Just stubborn," Steve said flashing a weak grin.

"So Danny said," Kono laughed.

"Are you sure he is okay?" McGarrett demanded. Once again he tried to sit up but Chin continued to halt his efforts.

"Honest Steve, he's breathing fine," Kono said as she ran a hand over Danny's hot forehead. She peered closer at his scalp wound and with gentle fingers she parted the blood encrusted hair, pleased to see only a shallow crease in the skin. It continued to bleed.

"There's a first aid kit in the duffel," Steve wheezed.

Kono dug into the bag and found the kit. Removing some gauze she carefully pressed it against Danny's wound.

"Chopper is due here in twenty minutes," Captain Brown announced sticking his head in the cave entrance. "They had one prepped and waiting for our signal. How are these guys?" he asked looking at the injured 5-0 men.

"We'll be fine," Steve answered.

"Where will they land?" Kono questioned looking outside.

"They will lower a rescue basket," Chin informed her.

"We'll keep watch and make sure they find us," Brown said and went out to his men.

Kono kept anxious watch on both men while they waited. McGarrett closed his eyes and concentrated on breathing slowly and evenly. Chin had gathered the weapons together, loaded them into the duffel bag and set it outside the cave. Finally the beat of helicopter blades could be heard. Steve's eyes opened and he attempted to sit up.

"You stay down and don't move," Kono snapped from beside Danny. "Cooperate and let the medics take care of you."

Steve glanced up at Chin questions in his eyes.

"Remember that nursing urge she has?" Chin responded with a smile, reminding Steve of an earlier experience they had had with Kono's childhood dream. "I wouldn't fight with her."

As the helicopter stopped to hover above the clearing, dirt swirled outside and the noise echoed off the cave walls.

"What's all the noise? Can't a guy take a nap?" The complaint came from Danny as his head rested in Kono's lap.

"Ssh….Danny, your ride to the hospital is here," Kono soothed as she held his head still.

"Oh goody, another copter. Promise me this one won't crash. They won't let Steve fly it will they?"

"Quit complaining Danno," Steve groaned. "You survived the crash. And it wasn't my fault."

"Will you two hoalohas just be quiet and relax," Chin ordered. "You are both going to be okay."

"Okay," Steve murmured, pleased with the reminder that he and Danny really were friends. He lay still and tried to relax.

Moments later cables could be seen dropping from above with two men attached. A basket on more cables descended right after them. The two men released their harnesses and hurried up to the cave. Chin and Kono both exited the tight space to make room for the medics.

With quiet efficiency the two men assessed their patients. They checked pulses and quickly evaluated the injuries.

"Danny needs blood," Steve insisted.

"And you need your ribs checked out. He also has a concussion," Danny added.

"Gentlemen, please just let us do our jobs. Trust me, we are qualified," the man treating Steve ordered. "Commander McGarrett, I'm Dr. Kalani. Det. Williams is being treated by Dr. Tyler. Governor Denning personally requested that there were doctors on the rescue helicopter."

Kalani chuckled at the surprised look on Steve's face.

"Don't be surprised, he left orders to get you and Det. Williams to a hospital in good working order," the doctor added.

"Well let's hear it for the Governor," Danny piped up. He winched as Dr. Tyler tried to remove his shirt around his gunshot wound.

"Williams should go up first. I need to get him started on some blood, he has lost a lot," Tyler said to Kalani. "Does that work for you?"

"Yes, I don't like the chest sounds on the Commander's right side but he's stable enough to wait," Kalani replied.

"Does that mean I'm a quart low Doc?" Danny asked grinning at Tyler. He was feeling very lightheaded. "Hey Steve, I get to go first."

"Shut up Danno," Steve ordered but without much anger.

"Just relax Detective Williams," Tyler said and signaled for Chin and Brown to bring the basket closer. The two men hurried it over to the cave entrance and helped Dr. Tyler move Danny into the basket and strapped him in. Tyler reattached the cables to the basket and hooked his own harness before he signaled the chopper up to bring them up. They slowly rose into the air.

Chin headed back to the cave to see how Steve was.

"Commander, your turn is next. Do you think we can get you outside? Can you manage that?" he asked, hoping to save some time and be ready when the basket came back down. He was afraid that McGarrett's right lung might be punctured.

"I'll help you move him," Chin offered.

"Good man," Dr. Kalani nodded. "Be careful and let's move slowly."

Between the two of them they hoisted Steve to his feet, careful to keep McGarrett's upper body as still as possible. The doctor didn't like how pale the Commander was or how labored his breathing was in the effort to stand but he was aware that the man had navigated the jungle with this injury just to get this far. Circumstances were far from ideal out here and time was of the essence. They managed to get him just outside the cave and the basket descended closer to the rock wall. Brown caught it before it hit the ground and moved it the last feet so it was beside the trio.

"You ride is here Commander," Kalani said. "Let us do the work and lower you in."

"Thanks Doc," Steve said over the roar of the copter. Sweat was beaded on his face as they put him in the basket. As Chin lifted Steve's feet and turned him to fit in the metal frame, Steve let out a moan of pain. His eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out.

"Doc?" Chin questioned in concern.

"I think his lung is punctured. We'll get him to Hilo and into surgery as quick as possible," Kalani assured him and secured Steve in the basket. He then hooked his own harness and gave a thumbs up to the crew above in the copter.

"Thanks Doc," Chin called as the man rose into the air with the basket beside him. Once they were both inside the helicopter, the doors shut and roared away.

Kono stepped up to stand beside Chin and hugged him quickly.

"Were we in time?" she asked.

"We did our best. They are in good hands. We need to finish this up and then get to Hilo as quickly as possible," Chin told her.

Captain Brown came over to them.

"The road is that way," he said pointing. "Rodgers radioed in and he has the guy that was left with the trucks cuffed and ready to talk. Pahia is all ready to sing on what he knows now that he is in custody and so is this guy here. I think we have all we need to close this case."

"Great, we need one of those trucks to get us back to our SUV and then we can head to Hilo," Chin replied. "I think you and your men can easily handle the booking of these characters and then securing the weapons. We will check back with you after we learn how Steve and Danny are doing," he added. He held out his hand to Brown. "Thanks for all the assistance, you were a great help."

"I was happy to assist 5-0. Keep me informed, "Brown answered. "Let me know if I can help with anything else."

End chapter.

**Thank you for reading. I don't have much training on how things are handled on rescue missions like this so forgive any errors.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ka Hahai,'imi XI**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. That is still CBS and so far they have been treating it well enough.**

**Thank you for reading my story. I have appreciated all the comments, they make my day.**

Chapter 11

It was one of the longest rides Kono had ever endured. The trip back to the clearing in one of Hawkins' trucks was much faster than hiking through the jungle, but the speed of arriving back at their State Police SUV did not improve the drive time back to Hilo. They still had a drive just over an hour and that was with Chin driving as if he was trying to earn a spot on a NASCAR team. Once they were in cell phone range, Kono placed a call to the hospital that Capt. Brown said Steve and Danny would be transported to.

The hospital was cooperative; informing her that Steve and Danny had arrived safely and were now both in surgery. When he heard the news, Chin pressed the accelerator down further, speeding on with the lights flashing.

"Easy Cuz, I really don't want to join Steve and Danny in a hospital bed," Kono cautioned as he took one of the few curves very sharply.

"Sorry Kono," chin replied and eased up on the gas. "I need you to make a call for me Kono. Now that we have a signal, could you call Catherine?"

"Sure, give me the number," Kono said quickly, her hand paused over the phone. "We really don't have much to give her."

"We can tell her Steve was alive when we found him. She's waited long enough for some news," Chin answered.

"Okay, give me the number," Kono responded. She touched the screen as Chin recited the number. As it rang, Kono activated the speaker.

"Rollins, "a voice snapped out in concern. "Kono, what's the news?"

"Catherine, we found Steve and Danny," she told her.

"How are they?"

"They were injured rather severely. Danny was shot and Steve had a concussion along with broken ribs. They have been flown to Hilo and are in surgery at the moment. Chin and I are on our way to the hospital now. We'll know more later," Kono informed her. "The guys were conscious before the copter took them to the hospital."

"I bet Steve was telling you how to care for Danny," Catherine said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"You know the boss," Kono laughed.

"Catherine, they're in good hands and we'll call you as soon as we have further news," Chin informed her.

"Thank you Chin and Kono, I appreciate the update," Catherine's voice was quietly sincere. "Please let me know more when you know more."

"We promise to call as soon as we know anything further," Kono promised. "I'm sure they'll be fine, they're too stubborn to let their injuries win."

"I know," Catherine's voice answered softly. "Thank you."

"Talk to you later," Kono assured her and broke off the connection. "I can't imagine how frustrating it is for her to sit there at Pearl and wait for news," she added to Chin.

"I am sure she has been through this before," Chin replied. "After all, she's undoubtedly experienced this with Steve's SEAL missions."

"I hadn't thought of that," Kono admitted. "And here I thought it would be stressful to be married to a cop."

"Cops or military, you will find life easier if you pick a guy in a different field," Chin said lightly, then frowned. "Probably smart to avoid crime family members as well."

Kono frowned in annoyance.

"Chin, I know that you don't trust Adam but that is no reason to attack him all the time. I don't want to have this talk again," she sighed.

Chin nodded; sorry he had spoken without thinking. It was true; he still didn't trust Adam and he feared Kono would find herself in over her head. It worried him that she was so emotionally involved with the heir apparent to the Yakuza but continuing to pester her about him would only drive Kono away.

They finished the ride in uncomfortable silence until Kono had to give Chin the GPS directions to the hospital. Once the SUV was parked they hurried into the ER entrance and identified themselves. From there they were directed to the surgical waiting room where they settled down to wait for news on the two men. It was not lost on Chin that Kono chose a chair several places down from his but didn't comment on it.

Ten minutes later a nurse came out to speak to them.

"Lt. Kelly, Officer Kalakaua? I'm Sara and I've been assigned to keep you apprised of what is happening with Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams," the slender blonde in her mid-thirties addressed them. Both had risen to their feet at her greeting and she continued quickly before they could pepper her with questions. "Det. Williams has just been brought out of surgery and is in recovery. They have removed the bullet in his side and repaired the damage. He is being given transfusions of blood to replace what he has lost. The detective had developed an infection and is being treated with antibiotics while they attempt to bring his fever down. We will move him to ICU once he comes out of the anesthetic where we can monitor him and check his blood levels." She paused to let them digest that information, and then continued. "Commander McGarrett is still in surgery. When he came in the doctors confirmed that he has four broken ribs and one did puncture his right lung. They also discovered some internal bleeding which they are looking for the cause. There is a fear that with the lung compromised that the Commander may develop pneumonia so he will be sent to ICU once he is out of surgery and has regained consciousness in recovery. He may not be brought to the ICU unit for some time."

"What do they do for his ribs?" Kono asked curiously.

"Other than bandaging the surgical site it has been learned that they don't have to do much else except keep him quiet while the bones heal. They may do a light wrapping but it isn't a break you can put in a cast to immobilize the ribs. We will treat the pain he will have and monitor the lung function to keep pneumonia from setting in. The Commander will have to take it easy for some time."

"You may have to tie him to his bed," Kono chuckled.

"How soon can we see Danny?" Chin asked.

"I will let you know as soon as he's awake and settled in the ICU," Sara assured him. "Just relax and I will come find you when that happens. There are vending machines in that alcove if you are hungry or thirsty." She pointed across the room and then left to return to the surgical area.

"Thank God, it seems like good news," Kono sighted and rubbed her eyes wearily.

"Yes, good news," Chin agreed and watched her walk back to her original seat and sink down tiredly. He followed and sat next to her, taking one of her hands in his. "Kono, I am sorry about earlier, I shouldn't attack you about Adam. It's just that I worry about you and don't want you hurt if he doesn't live up to your expectations," he said gently. "I have lost Malia; I don't want to lose you too."

Kono looked at him sadly and nodded, gripping his hand tightly.

"I understand and appreciate the concern Chin but I promise you that Adam won't hurt me. He saved my life," she said quietly. "I swear that I won't forget my job or let this relationship compromise 5-0."

Deciding he didn't want to continue the argument, Chin smiled.

"I know you won't. Just know you can come to me with any concerns," he told her. "After all we are ohana, we shouldn't keep secrets."

"Of course," Kono quickly agreed.

Chin kissed her forehead and released her hand, settling back to wait on word about their remaining ohana.

Forty five minutes later Sara returned with a smile on her face.

"Det. Williams is awake and in ICU. He is demanding to speak to his team and wants to see Commander McGarrett," she announced.

"That sounds like Danny," Chin grinned. "How is he doing?"

"His fever is still high and he is getting antibiotics for that. He is receiving one last unit of blood and then we will watch him. He could be in a regular room but based on what he's been through the doctors felt it was best to keep him under closer watch," Sara told them.

"What about Steve?" Kono asked.

"The Commander is in recovery. He came through surgery very well and as soon as he's come out of anesthesia he will be moved into the ICU unit. We will keep a very close eye on him to see how his breathing goes and to make sure he rests," Sara explained.

"Has this been explained to Danny?" Kono asked, knowing how their excitable Jersey friend reacted to things.

"We have and that's why we think you should come in and see him. We would like to keep him calm but he is not cooperating with us at the moment. We do not want him to pull out those stitches in his side," Sara reminded them.

"No…Danny isn't easy to calm down. We will make sure he listens to you. I can assure you that once Steve is in ICU that Danny will insist on seeing him," Chin warned.

"We figured on that and it's another reason for keeping the detective in ICU, they will be closer together," Sara grinned. "From the minute he awoke he's been demanding information on the Commander and then asked for you two."

They had been talking as they walked along and Sara led them down a hall to double doors marked ICU. Inside was a central nurse's station with glass door cubicles lining the walls in a horseshoe shape. A loud voice came from room 5, clearly indicating where Danny was. A harried nurse stepped outside and relief flooded her face when she saw Sara and the two 5-0 members.

"Sara, I can't get him to calm down," she said anxiously.

"We'll take it from here Keiko," Sara responded. Chin and Kono exchanged amused looks.

"I am serious, I want someone in here to brief me on Steve or I am going to walk out of here and find out on my own," Danny could be heard complaining.

"We'll calm him down Sara," Chin said with a reassuring smile. "Danny will behave."

"Thank you, the rest of ICU will appreciate it." Sara went over to the nurse's station to talk to Keiko.

Chin and Kono went to the door to cubicle 5 and peeked inside. The man was trying to push his blanket away and swing his legs over the side.

"So, are we going to need the cuffs to keep you in bed brah?" Kono asked sweetly as she held up a pair of handcuffs and waved them around.

End chapter.

**So the boys are patched up and now we just have to get them healed enough to head back to Oahu. We will see if Steve recovers without complications and if Kono has to use those cuffs on Danny next chapter. Thank you so much for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ka Hahai,'imi XII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I know that, you know that and I hope that CBS continues to treat it the way it deserves.**

**Thank you for supporting my writing efforts, I appreciate all the lovely reviews.**

Chapter 12

Danny Williams presented quite the sight to his two teammates. There was a headband of gauze wrapped around his head holding the dressing in place, protecting his head wound. Two plastic tubes were inserted in his left arm, one at his elbow to provide the last of his blood transfusion and one in the back of his hand that was delivering the antibiotics to fight his infection. His hospital gown was askew, falling off his shoulders and the bed's blanket and sheet was the only thing keeping Kono from getting to know Danny better than she wished.

"Kono…..Chin…..man I'm glad to see you," Danny called out in relief, pausing in his effort to get out of bed. His eyes were bright with fever. "They won't tell me about Steve."

"You aren't going anywhere Danny and you are not being totally accurate. Sara told us that you were told that Steve is still in recovery. He is going to be fine," Kono said shoving the cuffs back in her pocket and moving to his side to push him back down into the pillow. "No one can see him yet."

Chin had come up to him on the other side and straightened the sheet and blanket, tucking them in around Danny. He smiled at their agitated teammate.

"Be cool brah. Steve will be brought to ICU soon. You have to relax or you'll pull your stitches out."

"So Steve is good? Really?" Danny asked, his eyes darting between the two cousins. He was enjoying how nice Kono's cool hand felt stroking his forehead.

"He came through surgery fine. He will be in a room next to you soon and they will watch him for signs of pneumonia. You both have a lot of recovery ahead of you," Chin told him.

"I'm fine," Danny insisted.

"Of course you are," Kono chuckled. She reached for a plastic cup on the side table filled with ice water. Danny grabbed it from her and sucked on the straw greedily.

"Thanks Kono."

"You're welcome Danny," Kono replied and smoothed a hand across his forehead again. He relaxed under her touch. "You be a good boy and do what the doctors and nurses tell you, okay?"

"Okay," Danny nodded, his eyes drooping. Kono caught the cup and took it from him as his eyes went closed and Danny drifted off to sleep. Kono smiled at Chin as the Jersey native became silent.

"I think you did miss your calling Cuz. You really do have the healing touch," Chin grinned in admiration.

"I'd rather kick bad guy's butts," Kono answered with a light laugh. "Danny really is a pussycat when he is hurting. He feels so warm Chin, they have to get this fever down," she added seriously.

"The staff here knows what they are doing. They will take good care of Danny and Steve. We just have to do our best to keep them calm while they recover," Chin answered.

Kono nodded and looked around, wondering how soon they would see Steve arrive. She couldn't help feeling some of Danny's anxiety about their leader.

"How long do you think Steve will be in recovery?" she asked.

"I don't know everyone comes out of the anesthesia differently. I am sure that Steve will be fine," Chin assured her. "We have to be prepared for the fact that Steve may be here some time before they will let him go home. The threat of pneumonia is pretty serious; they won't take any chances after what he has been through."

Kono nodded seriously and looked down at Danny, a small smile forming on her lips.

"And how do we get these two to follow orders so they are released quickly?" she inquired. "Neither one is known for their patience."

Chin pulled a chair up next to Danny's bed and sat down with a cryptic smile on his face.

"What do you know that I don't?" she demanded.

"If they don't behave, we call in the big guns," he simply replied.

"Who, the Governor? What can he do?" she said in confusion.

"Think bigger," Chin advised, his smile growing. Kono frowned at him and then a smile spread over her face.

"You mean Grace and Catherine, don't you?" she said. "That would be playing really dirty Cuz."

"We will do whatever we must," Chin said with a decisive nod. "We will take care of them in spite of themselves."

Kono laughed and pulled a chair over so she could sit down as well. Both cousins settled in to wait for Steve's arrival in ICU or Danny waking up again.

Less than a half hour later they both heard the sound of wheels rolling into the unit and then a hospital bed moved past Danny's cubicle and into the room next to him. Both Chin and Kono sprang to their feet and hurried out into the open area so they could see what was going on. They watched as a nurse and a CNA were busy connecting McGarrett to several monitors and settling him in. With his head slightly elevated, Steve blinked groggily at his surroundings and finally focused on Chin and Kono. He gave them a weak smile and waved his free hand.

"Hey Boss, good to see you awake," Kono said in relief.

Steve looked pale and tired but an alert spark came into his eyes when he recognized them and he looked relieved to see them.

"Hey Kono, Chin," Steve responded in a raspy voice. The effort set off a rough cough and he winced in pain.

"Easy Commander, we know that cough hurts. Please remember to take slow, deep breaths to keep your lungs healthy. The key is to stay controlled and even with your breathing," the nurse advised.

"Yes ma'am," Steve answered and did his best to follow directions. The pain eased from his face and he relaxed into the bedding. The nurse turned to address Chin and Kono.

"The Commander will be fine if he rests and follows orders. He needs to do his breathing exercises to prevent pneumonia from setting in. He also suffered a slight concussion but there seem to be no serious repercussions from that. His ribs will heal if he doesn't exert himself. Please help him follow the rules," she ordered.

"Sure thing," Chin replied. "We can handle him."

Steve eyed him with raised eyebrows as the nursing staff left the room but didn't say anything. Chin and Kono moved over to flank him on either side of the bed looking at him closely. It was easy to see that Steve was still coming out of the effects of the anesthesia.

"How's Danny? No one would tell me in recovery," Steve said in concern.

"I am so glad I didn't' take your bet," Kono laughed at Chin. "They really are predictable."

"What?" Steve said in confusion.

"We knew your first questions would be about Danny," Chin answered. "He is fine and sleeping in the next room. He is fighting off an infection but they have him on antibiotics. He should be fine."

"And he is worrying about you," Kono added.

"Tell him I'm fine," Steve grinned.

"You can tell him yourself. We know that the moment he wakes up he will demand a wheelchair and come in to see you," Kono explained. "He is not winning points with the staff here. They don't know you two like our Honolulu hospitals do."

"Are you saying we have a reputation?" Steve asked in amusement.

"You most certainly do," Chin confirmed.

"Well I promise to follow orders," Steve said solemnly. "Now please bring me up to date on what happened with Hawkins and his men. I think I missed the good part."

"You were sleeping through the big finish," Kono giggled.

"But you had made the numbers more manageable by the time we arrived. Mop up was pretty easy," Chin added. "Hawkins and all but two men are dead. Koa Iaukea and Keao Pahia are both answering all our questions. Pahia knows more of the important stuff so we can close out this case for good."

"Even though so much went wrong, it looks like we've put another group of weapons dealers out of business and the military will get most of their weapons back," Kono added. "We got the bad guys and you and Danny will be okay."

"Good work," Steve nodded. "Thanks for coming through for us….I couldn't protect Danny."

"Not true Steve. You and Danny did a remarkable job of staying alive in that jungle," Chin said seriously. "You kept both of you from being taken by Hawkins while he had his men hunting you. And you patched Danny up enough so he didn't bleed out. When the time came, Danny was the one who took out Hawkins with a very nice shot."

McGarrett grinned proudly at that information.

"I knew Danno would come through," he stated. "And you are sure he will be okay? They got the bullet out of him?"

"He's going to be fine Steve," Kono said. "I am sure you will know that the minute he wakes up."

Steve nodded and rubbed his eyes with his free hand. It was obvious that he was tiring.

"Get some rest Steve," Chin told him. "Everything is okay and the State Police are taking care of the prisoners."

"And follow the nurse's orders. Practice your breathing exercises when you wake up," Kono instructed.

"Getting a bit bossy, aren't you?" Steve grinned sleepily.

"You bet. Don't mess with me," Kono said playfully and watched his eyes go closed.

Sara poked her head in the door and smiled at the sight of the Commander resting.

"That is a good thing," she commented. "Why don't you two go take care of yourselves, you've had a long day from what I have heard. We can call you if there is any change that you need to know."

Chin and Kono looked at each other and nodded. Kono really wanted to have a nice hot shower and something to eat. Chin was aware that he should call Catherine and the Governor and bring them up to date. He gave Sara a warm smile.

"Here are our numbers, if you need us or anything changes, just call," he said scribbling down their cell phone numbers on a pad from the table beside Steve's bed. He handed Sara the paper as he directed Kono out of the room.

"Smooth move Chin," Kono commented as they exited the ICU unit.

"Don't go there Cuz," Chin warned but smiled at her. "We play nice with the nurses and we get Steve and Danny home quicker."

"Right…" Kono laughed as they headed out of the hospital.

End chapter.

**Well we are coming to the end of this tale. Of course Danny will get to check on Steve but the hunt is over and all is well. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the finish. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Ka Hahai,'imi XIII**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I will never make a profit from my writing but I enjoy playing with the characters.**

**Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. I thought that this would be the last chapter but the guys wanted their own scene.**

Chapter 13

Steve was sleeping comfortably when the sound of an argument nearby woke him up. A smile came to his face as he recognized Danny's voice insisting that he needed to check on his partner. A calmer, quieter voice was reminding him he was in ICU and needed to lower his voice so he wouldn't disturb the other patients. Steve located the call button for the nurse and pressed it. Quickly a nurse poked her head into the room.

"Oh so you are awake," she smiled brightly. "Are you up for having a visitor Commander?"

"It sounds like Danny needs to come in here otherwise he'll just keep ranting," Steve replied with a chuckle.

"And how are you feeling?" she asked.

"Good all things considered," he said honestly.

"Glad to hear that. I'll go help get Det. Williams into a wheelchair," she answered and disappeared.

A few minutes later she wheeled Danny into the room with an IV pole in tow. She parked him near Steve's right side.

"Thanks Sara," Danny told her and then he grinned at McGarrett. "You are a sight for sore eyes partner."

"Good to see you too Danny," Steve answered. "Sounds like you have been causing quite a ruckus around here."

"No one wanted to let me know how you were," Danny grumbled.

"Now that is not true Detective," Sara chided as she checked the readouts on Steve's monitors and raised the head of his bed so he could see Danny better. "We told you that the Commander was fine and you could see him when he woke up. And here you are."

"You'll have to forgive Danny, he likes to see things for himself," Steve told Sara.

"Well it's okay now. Please take a few deep breaths for me Commander," Sara ordered as she placed her stethoscope on his chest. Steve did as he was instructed, wincing slightly but relaxed as the pain passed swiftly.

"Very good, everything sounds clear," she said with approval. "I'll leave you two alone now. Behave."

"Yes ma'am," both men answered.

"I promise you I will be back in here if it gets too noisy, there are patients trying to sleep. Am I clear?" she asked firmly.

"Yes ma'am," they chorused again.

"She is strict," Danny said after Sara left. He studied Steve closely. "You're looking better than the last time I saw you. I was afraid you would expire on me."

"SEALs don't expire Danny," Steve said with a smug smile.

"Hey, you can die and I was afraid that was where we were headed," Danny said seriously after a moment's thought. "We were damn lucky that Chin and Kono showed up when they did."

"They had good timing," Steve agreed. "And we're good Danno, we'll both be fine and the case is closed. They told me that you were the one who took out Hawkins, good shooting buddy."

"I had to do something, he was going to shoot either Chin or Kono," Danny shrugged, but smiled at the praise. "So how is your breathing now? I saw you wincing just now, they told me you punctured a lung," he asked changing the subject.

"I'll be fine," Steve said making light of his injury. "They are watching for signs of pneumonia but I will be okay."

"And the ribs?"

"Tender but they'll heal," Steve answered. "How is your fever?"

"Almost normal," Danny grinned and patted the IV pole next to him. "This is the last bag of antibiotics and then I am good to go."

"So you will be out of here soon," Steve commented enviously and shifted slightly in the bed to get more comfortable.

"Well the doc did say he'd have to check out my incision again before I would be cleared to go home," Danny replied. "I'm thinking we owe Chin and Kono dinner for their timely rescue."

"Or some time off," McGarrett agreed.

"Nice," Danny nodded. "And as lovely as this island is, I don't think I'll be bringing Grace here to see the volcanoes anytime soon."

"Understood," Steve said quietly. He felt a wave of guilt flow over him because of Danny's injury. It had happened on his watch.

"Get off that guilt trip right now big guy," Danny said quickly, seeing the look on Steve's face. "Remember that it was my face that blew this sting. You didn't do anything wrong and none of this is your fault. This time," he grinned impishly at his last words.

"Well thank you for that," Steve said dryly. "I'm sure you'll be out of here soon, if you don't fight the nurses."

"I will have you know that I am the soul of cooperation," his partner protested.

"Of course you are," McGarrett chuckled.

"I will have you know I only was difficult because I was anxious to learn how you, my friend, were doing. I was only concerned for your health. Otherwise I am a perfect patient," Danny said acting very insulted.

"Is that the story you are sticking with?" Chin's voice was heard from the doorway. He and Kono were there grinning at the two of them.

"Chin, Kono, what are you doing here? It is late; shouldn't you be getting some sleep?" Steve greeted them, glancing at the clock. In spite of his comments, he was happy to see them.

"We couldn't go to sleep without making sure you two were okay," Kono told them as they entered the room. She went to hug Danny carefully and not disturb his IV line. Then she went to Steve and grasped his hand warmly in both of hers. "You are looking better Boss."

"Thank you, I'm feeling better," McGarrett responded. "And I have been thinking that you two deserve some time off as a reward for your actions."

"And just who is going to mind the store with the two of you in the hospital?" Chin asked with raised eyebrows. "We'll have to take a rain check on the time off. I talked to the Governor and he expects a report from me tomorrow when Kono and I get back to Oahu."

"Slave driver," Danny muttered.

"Well we do have to oversee the transfer of the two prisoners anyway," Kono told him. "However, I will be back in a heartbeat if I hear that either of you are causing trouble for the nurses here," she threatened as she let go of Steve's hand and gave each man a stern look.

Danny grinned at Steve who was struggling to keep a straight face.

"We have been warned," Steve finally managed to say to Danny without laughing. "Officer Kalakaua, we promise to behave."

Danny raised his right hand.

"Yes ma'am…..we will be on our best behavior," he intoned solemnly.

"Don't think I won't find out if you step out of line. And right now I think I would have no trouble kicking your butt Boss," Kono declared shaking her head and grinning wickedly.

"No argument," Steve chuckled. "Thanks for taking over Chin; we'll be home as soon as possible. And I will see that you get some time off then."

"Thanks Steve, right now I am happy to just keep busy," Chin said seriously.

"Okay," Steve nodded sympathetically. He knew that Chin was still coming to terms with Malia's death and the prospect of time off with nothing to do might not appeal to the man. "When you are ready, I'll okay it," he added softly.

"Well I'll take the time just as soon as there is a great wave report," Kono said cheekily. She winked at Chin, who nodded gratefully at her attempt to lighten the mood.

At that moment Sara reentered the room along with an older Hawaiian woman.

"Commander McGarrett, Det. Williams, I am going off duty now. Nurse Pualani will be in charge for this shift. Please cooperate with her," Sara announced.

"Yes ma'am," they answered.

"Watch them, they're stubborn," Sara told the other woman. "Just threaten to keep them here longer and they'll toe the line."

Nurse Pualani chuckled and nodded.

"I have six sons so I've had practice dealing with stubborn men," she replied. "I can handle them and now it's time for the officers to go back to their hotel and for Det. Williams to go back to his own room." She went to Danny and placed her hand on his forehead. "You sir, are still rather warm, time for you to go back to bed."

Danny eyed her warily.

"I'm fine," he protested.

"Are you arguing with me boy?"

"No ma'am," Danny said quickly. He looked helplessly at his teammates. "This one is really tough."

"You had better believe it," Nurse Pualani said firmly. "Let's get you back into your own bed." She took hold of his wheelchair handles and began backing him out of the room. Danny grabbed his IV pole to keep it from falling over.

"You will follow orders or I may be forced to check your temperature in a more uncomfortable manner," she could be heard saying as they went next door.

The remaining members of 5-0 and Sara burst out laughing as they heard Danny groan.

"I think we'd better get out of here. I do not want to cross her," Chin announced. "We will stop by in the morning before we head home Steve. I also want to tell you that Catherine has been brought up to speed on how you are. And I received a call from your mother as well. She was not too happy to have been kept in the dark about what went down. I have no idea how she learned about this case at all."

"She has her ways. Well now she knows how I feel," Steve said darkly. "Thanks for calling Cath for me. I will see if I can talk to both of them tomorrow."

"Get better Boss, we will see you before we head back to Oahu," Kono said before she and Chin left the room.

End chapter.

**Thanks so much for reading. Next chapter I will be wrapping this up. I appreciate the support.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Ka Hahai,'imi XIV**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do so hope that the creators of this show don't mind that I like to play with their characters.**

**Thank you so much for the lovely things you have said about this story. Thanks for your support.**

Chapter 14

A week after the events on the Big Island, a private jet touched down at Hickman Air Force base. As the plane rolled to a stop near a hanger, Steve McGarrett smiled at the lovely brunette sitting next to him by the window.

"Looks like we're home," he announced to Catherine.

"And I brought you home alive," Catherine laughed lightly. "Do you think I can relax now?"

"I was never in danger of dying," Steve reminded her, conveniently forgetting about the brief setback he had three days after being admitted to the hospital at Hilo.

"You forget that I was in contact with your doctors the whole time," she pointed out as she unbuckled her safety belt. "I am relieved I did not lose you."

Steve had been sitting on the aisle and after getting to his feet, he held out his hand to her. Once on her feet he drew her out into the aisle and into his arms. He inhaled, loving her scent and enjoying the feel of her in his embrace. Cath carefully hugged him in return, mindful of Steve's ribs.

"Come on Sailor, time to greet your ohana," she said stepping away.

When they got to the open hatch, Steve paused at the top of the stairs. Walking towards them was his team along with Doris McGarrett.

"I didn't tell Mom what time we'd arrive," Steve said looking at Catherine in surprise.

"I think she checked with the Governor," Catherine laughed. "We flipped a coin to see who would get to go to the Big Island to escort you home," she added with a wicked grin.

"And you used your double tails coin, didn't you?" Steve said having trouble keeping a serious face.

"Guilty," Catherine admitted smugly. "I did not wish to get into a smack down with Doris but I wanted to be the one to bring you home."

"That's my girl," Steve declared and quickly kissed her. "Let's go face the troops." They headed down the stairs.

Doris had hurried ahead of the group and quickly threw her arms around his neck, avoiding his ribs.

"It is so good to see you. I was worried," she breathed.

"I'm okay Mom," Steve assured her. He disengaged her grip and smiled at her. "Honest, I feel fine." He looked from her to the members of his team and grinned at Danny. "Hey Danno, you look pretty good buddy. How do you feel?" he asked his partner. Danny had just been cleared for limited active duty two days earlier. He quickly gathered Danny close into a brief, brotherly hug.

"I'm great," Danny responded. "It's good to be back on duty. And how are you?"

"Ready to get back to work," Steve declared.

"Desk duty only," Catherine said from behind him. "Don't' let him tell you anything different."

Cath….." Steve protested.

"You listen to her Steven, desk duty," Doris spoke up as she moved back to his side. "And not until tomorrow. Today you are going home so Catherine and I can take care of you."

"I don't need nursing Mom," Steve grumbled.

"Maybe not but humor us," Doris insisted.

Steve looked at Catherine helplessly but she only shrugged and smiled sweetly.

"The doctor did advise that you rest after the flight. Your ribs are still healing," she replied. "I'm sure your team can handle one more day without you."

"Besides, they're all coming over to dinner after work," Doris added. "They'll brief you on everything then."

"Looks like you are outnumbered babe," Danny chuckled. "I suggest you go with the flow for now and just enjoy the attention."

"Okay…I give up," Steve surrendered.

"Enjoy it Boss, we promise you will have lots to do tomorrow. We have all kinds of paperwork set aside in anticipation of your return," Kono announced with a grin. She came forward to give him a quick, light hug. "Welcome back."

Steve laughed as he hugged her back.

"Thanks a lot," he responded. He then took Chin's outstretched hand and shook it. "So you've been holding down the fort, is everything quiet?"

"No shop talk right now," Chin scolded. "But it is quiet. The bad guys must be waiting for your return. I guess there is no prestige in being arrested unless McGarrett is there to snap on the cuffs."

"Yea, why bother unless you can hear Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett say…"Book em Danno"," Danny said rolling his eyes.

"It's a term of endearment, I keep telling you that," Steve smirked.

"Come on Mr. Warmth," Catherine stated linking an arm through Steve's left arm. Doris did likewise on the other side of her son. "Your mother and I are going to take you home now."

Without further protest McGarrett let the two women escort him to his truck that Doris had driven to the airfield. The rest of the team got back into the Camaro with Danny finally driving his own car.

Once at the McGarrett home, Steve let the women talk him into relaxing in the leather recliner while his mom and girlfriend…yes he did think that…..went to work on preparing the meal for later on. He tried to listen in on the conversation in the kitchen but quickly dozed off. An hour later, Catherine came out to check on him and lightly stroked one hand across his forehead. With one quick motion, Steve reached up and captured her hand, smiling up at her.

"Dinner almost ready?" he enquired softly.

"Almost Sailor," she answered huskily and sat on the arm of the chair. Steve pulled her into his lap and she carefully balanced herself, not wanting to put any pressure on his damaged ribs. "Steve, be careful," she admonished.

"Holding you is not going to hurt me," Steve argued. He tugged her close to kiss her.

"Your mother is just in the kitchen," she whispered fiercely, her hands propped on either side of his head.

"So what? Do you seriously think she isn't aware of what we do?" he whispered back.

"Oh she knows," Catherine groaned and blushed. "But we don't need to provide visual confirmation, do we?"

"Why does that frighten you?" Steve laughed and refused to release her. She didn't fight him further.

"Okay Sailor, it wouldn't frighten me so much if you would admit I'm your girlfriend," she stated firmly, completely enjoying the look of panic in his eyes. "Does that scare you?"

"Uh….no…" Steve stammered, then drew a deep breath and smiled at her. He brought one hand up and cupped the back of her head. "Yes…..yes, you are my girlfriend," he said firmly before drawing her into another kiss.

"Good to know," Catherine said with a twinkle in her eye. She ran one hand along his cheek. "It can be our secret. Now I should go help your mother."

"No need, everything is ready. And I have known all along you two were more serious than you cared to admit," Doris announced form near the kitchen door. She laughed at the expression on the couple's faces. "Relax you two, I approve. And I promise not to take out an announcement in the papers."

"Gee thanks Mom," Steve said dryly.

"Doris…..uh…..I…"Catherine stuttered as she pushed herself out of the chair.

"Oh please Catherine, I'm not going to interfere in your lives. I really do like you, you're good for Steve," Doris said quickly. "Now Steven, I could use some assistance with lighting the grill. I never could get that thing to work for me."

"Of course Mom," Steve laughed. He put the foot rest down and got to his feet. "I can handle that." He headed out to the kitchen after kissing Catherine lightly on the cheek.

"He really is a good boy," Doris said to Catherine. "If you can get him to admit to his feelings I know you will both be happy," she added once Steve was out of earshot.

"We will be fine Doris," Catherine answered, still not sure what Doris' motives were and uncomfortable with what she knew about her.

The three team members arrived shortly after five and quickly accepted beers while gathering out on the lanai. Danny saw Steve sitting in one of the beach chairs, staring out at the ocean. Leaving the others to their discussion of how to best cook kabobs, he wandered over to join his partner by the water's edge.

"How are you doing?" Danny asked sinking down in to the empty chair next to Steve.

"I'm good, really good," Steve replied.

"It's good to have you home. I hate to admit it but I've missed you," the blonde detective confessed.

"I missed you too," Steve grinned and sipped his beer. "So you are now 100 percent? No trouble with your gunshot wound?"

"I'm perfect," Danny bragged. "No pain what-so-ever. Are your ribs still pretty tender?"

"They're okay," Steve reassured him. "It looks like we're both ready to get back to normal."

"You two need to quit discussing injuries and come join the rest of us," Catherine said coming up behind them. She leaned over the back of Steve's chair and kissed his cheek. "Dinner is almost ready, come join the party."

"You heard the lady Danny, our team needs us," Steve laughed as he pushed to his feet. The three of them headed back to the lanai.

End story.

**I thank all of you for reading my story. I hope my muse grabs onto some inspiration soon. I will see you again if she gets an itch to make me write.**


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